Natalia Petrovna Bekhtereva was a Soviet and Russian neuroscientist and psychologist who developed neurophysiological approaches to psychology, such as measuring the impulse activity of human neurons. She was a participant in the documentary films The Call of the Abyss and Storm of Consciousness, which aroused wide public interest. Candidate of Biological Sciences, Doctor of Medicine, Full Professor.
Biography
She is Vladimir Bekhterev's granddaughter. She was brought up with her brother in an orphanage. She graduated from the First Pavlov State Medical University of St. Petersburg and graduate school of the Pavlov Institute of Physiology. In the summer of 1941, more than 700 students entered the University; by the end of the training, only 4 graduates survived. The rest perished from war and hunger. She survived the Siege of Leningrad. She worked as a junior research fellow at the Institute of Experimental Medicine, USSR Academy of Medical Sciences. After working her way up from a senior research fellow to the head of the laboratory and Deputy Director, she worked at the Research Neurosurgical Institute named after Professor Andrey L. Polenov of the USSR Ministry of Health. In 1959 she became a Doctor of Medicine. Since 1962 – at the Institute of Institute of Experimental Medicine, USSR Academy of Medical Sciences. In 1975, she became an academician of the USSR Academy of Medical Sciences. In 1981, she became an academician of the Academy of Sciences of the Soviet Union. Since 1990, she is the scientific director of the Center "Brain" of the Academy of Sciences of the Soviet Union. Since 1992, she is the head of the scientific group of the neurophysiology of thinking, creativity and consciousness of the Institute for Human Brain of the RAS. She is Vice President of the International Union of Physiological Sciences and Vice President of the International Organization for Psychophysiology. She worked as editor-in-chief of the academic journals Human Physiology and International Journal of Psychophysiology. Deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union of the 8th convocation and People's Deputy of the Soviet Union.
Rewards and titles
The Order of Lenin – for great merits in the development of medical science, the training of scientific personnel.
The Medal "For Labour Valour" – for great merits in the field of protecting the health of the Soviet people and the development of medical science.
The Gold medal of the Exhibition of Economic Achievements of the Soviet Union.
Silver medal of the Exhibition of Economic Achievements of the Soviet Union.
Gold medal named after Vladimir M. Bekhterev – for a series of studies on the neurophysiological foundations of the higher mental functions of the human brain.
The Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" IV class – for his great contribution to the development of domestic science, the training of highly qualified personnel and in connection with the 275th anniversary of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
The Order of Friendship of Peoples – for great personal contribution to the development of medical science and the training of highly qualified specialists for domestic health care.
The grandfather is Vladimir Bekhterev — psychiatrist, neuropathologist, physiologist, psychologist, founder of reflexology. The father is Peter Bekhterev – engineer and inventor. The mother is Zinaïda Bekhtereva – doctor. First husband is Vsevolod Medvedev – physiologist. Son from the first marriage is Svyatoslav Medvedev – physiologist. Second husband is Ivan Kashtelyan – economist. The stepson is Alexander. The granddaughter is Natalia Medvedeva – psychiatrist.
Publications
Bekhtereva published more than 360 works, some of them in English, including:
1962. Biopotentials of Cerebral Hemispheres in Brain Tumors.
1978. Neurophysiological Aspects of Human Mental Activity.
