Joaquín Luco Valenzuela, Chilean neurophysiologist (Santiago 18 July 1913 – Cartagena, Valparaiso Region, San Antonio Province 19 July 2002)
ACHIEVEMENTS
Discovered that neurons are able to learn
Idealized a new perfusion system
Nuevo sistema de perfusion con la preparación cardiopulmonar. Algunos aspectos de la regulación de la glicemia. Thesis, 1936
With A. Rosenblueth demonstrated that during prolonged stimulation of a motor nerve, neuromuscular fatigue is followed by a rise of tension known as Rosenblueth phenomenon (1939)
Discovered fifth step in neuromuscular transmission
With A. Rosenblueth. The fifth stage of neuromuscular transmission. Amer. J. Physiol. 126(1), 1939
Enunciated paradigm of short and large nerve
With C. Eyzaguirre. Fibrillation and hypersensitivity to Ach in denervated muscle: effect of length of degenerating nerve fibers. J. Neurophysiol. 18(1):65-73, 1955
Performed important studies on learning and memory in invertebrates (employing Blatta orientalis)
With L.C. Aranda. An electrical correlate to the process of learning. Experiments in Blatta orientalis. Nature 201:1330-1, 1964
With L.C. Aranda. Reversibility of electrical correlate to process of learning. Nature 209:205-6, 1966
Increase of synaptic efficacy as a correlate to learning in Blatta orientalis. Physiol. Behav. 21(5):743-7, 1978
Proved that the motor nerve possesses inductive properties that defines the gene expression of relevant macromolecules to the neural function in the innervations element
With N.C. Inestrosa & B. Mendez. Acetylcholinesterase like that of skeletal muscle in smooth muscle reinnervated by a motor nerve. Nature 280(5722):504-6, 1979
Other contributions
With M.I. Behrens. New concepts on homeostasis. Arch. Biol. Med. Exp. 13(2):209-12, 1980
With P.B. Dews & C.N. Woolsey. Brain research. Science 158(3803):951-8, 1967