Rita Levi-Montalcini is a remarkable woman with a legacy that is worth talking about.
In 1951 she discovered nerve growth factor (NFG) which is crucial for the growth and differentiation of nerve cells and spent 30 years continuing her research of this protein and other specific growth factors. At the age of 77 years old, Rita Levi-Montalcini was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1986 for her insightful discoveries.
Working in academics and research
Rita Levi-Montalcini was born in Turin, Italy on April 22, 1909, and she died in Rome, Italy on December 30, 2012. During her impressive lifetime, she was a research associate in zoology for 9 years, and an associate professor for 2 years before becoming a full professor for 30 years until she retired in 1977.
But that was not the end of her illustrious career, as she established a research unit in Rome in 1962, and became director of the Institute of Cell Biology of the Italian National Council of Research, in Rome, and upon retirement from this position in 1979, she became a guest professor of the same institute.
Keeping her mind challenged
Not being one to be idle for long, Rita became a senator at 92 and remained active in the scientific community. She thrived working as a neurobiologist until she was 103, and remained mentally sharp up until the time of her death, having an impressive 171 publications. She was the longest-living Nobel Prize laureate ever at the time of her death.
Rita Levi-Montalcini wrote an autobiography in 1988 called In Praise of Imperfection: My Life and Work, in which she states that she was raised in a well-cultured and intellectually stimulating environment, but was denied formal medical education until her father granted her permission at the age of 20, and within 8 months made up for any educational gaps needed to enter medical school.
Tenacity
Her plans were interrupted by war, and she was forced into hiding because of her ancestry, but not to be deterred she used her tenacity and insight to create a small lab within her bedroom to continue pursuing her research on the growth of nerve fibers in chicken embryos. During this time Rita Levi-Montalcini made many critical observations that set the framework for her later Nobel Prize-winning experiments.
Mentor and advocate
Rita Levi-Montalcini was a brilliant neuroscientist with a well-groomed, and elegant appearance that was coupled with her warm, caring personality which made her a sought-after mentor and role model. She also felt strongly about supporting women in the medical field and supported them in her own lab, firmly believing that more women could also do the work if only given the opportunity.
She actively advocated for policy changes relating to the valorization of science and education and having suffered from gender, race, and religious discrimination throughout her entire life, she condemned any form of prejudice.
She penned another book called Le tue antenate (Your Ancestors) in which she shared biographies and accomplishments of other underrepresented women in science and social movements.
Among her other accomplishments, she also created the Rita Levi-Montalcini Foundation to foster African girls to support them in pursuing careers in science and granting fellowships, particularly in medicine and nursing fields.
Her secrets to promoting brain health
This brilliant woman shared 5 of her anti-aging secrets that helped to keep her brain young and sharp.
Rita Levi-Montalcini woke up at 5AM every day
She did not do this to exercise or watch the sun rise, she did this to go to work immediately at a time when she felt her mind was the freshest, saying that the brain’s peak performance is early in the morning.
She practiced minimal time-restricted eating
Although she would occasionally have an orange or small bowl of soup in the evening, Rita only ate one a day at lunch, fasting for the rest of the day. She said this promoted mental clarity after discovering that a lighter diet helped to keep her mind clear, sharper, and more focused.
Continuous work challenging her mind
At the time of her death, Rita Levi-Montalcini had 171 publications, with her articles garnering over 19,000 citations, some of them being cited over 1,000 times each. Rita spoke on how the brain is like a muscle, if you stop using it, it will start to decay. Use it or lose it.
Mental stimulation and engagement
Rita believed that keeping the brain active is imperative to longevity, as such she never stopped trying to learn new things such as taking on unsolved problems and challenging theories.
Maintaining a positive mindset
This was one of her most important habits.
During her life, Rita Levi-Montalcini was banned from academia due to war, so she built one in her bedroom.
She was told that women couldn’t be scientists, and during a time when women were only supposed to be good at raising a family, she proved them wrong.
She believed that stress and negativity are toxic to brain health, and just look at what she accomplished simply by believing in herself and not giving up.
At the age of 103, Rita Levi-Montalcini was quoted as saying “I have a higher mental capacity today than when I was 20, thanks to the accumulation of experiences.”
For those wondering, there is science to back up her lifestyle choices:
Regular mental challenges build neural pathways (neuroplasticity), morning work maximizes the brain’s cortisol peak, positivity reduces stress hormones that damage neurons, and her eating pattern aligns with research on the cognitive benefits of fasting.
Take away
Like other centenarians, Rita was said to remain mentally sharp as a tack up until her final days and is a wonderful example of how aging does not have to include mental decline, which is in large part due to her daily lifestyle habits.
Rita Levi-Montalcini’s life serves as a shining example that it is possible to maintain and improve your cognition as you age and that your brain does not have to decline with age. Simply by making some healthful anti-aging lifestyle changes you too can stay mentally sharp into your golden years.
As with anything you read on the internet, this article should not be construed as medical advice; please talk to your doctor or primary care provider before changing your wellness routine. WHN does not agree or disagree with any of the materials posted. This article is not intended to provide a medical diagnosis, recommendation, treatment, or endorsement. Additionally, it is not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, individual, or anyone or anything. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
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References/Sources/Materials provided by:
T.J.W. at WHN
https://neuroscience.wustl.edu/items/rita-levi-montalcini/
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Rita-Levi-Montalcini
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rita_Levi-Montalcini
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10014200
https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/medicine/1986/levi-montalcini/interview/#IWD%20#IWD2024
