Robert Scharf, M.D.

Chairman

Mark Solms, Ph.D.

Director

Neuropsychoanalysis Program

The Arnold Pfeffer Center for Neuropsychoanalysis of New York Psychoanalytic Society & Institute presents a regular lecture series in which researchers speak on topics of relevance to psychoanalysis. Topics have included emotion, memory, drive and motivational processes, affect regulation, development, and clinical work with neurological patients.

Presenters have included behavioral, cognitive, and affective neuroscientists; developmental neurobiologists; neurologists; cognitive psychologists; neuropsychologists; and neuropsychoanalytic researchers. Some of the leading investigators in their fields have presented at the Pfeffer Center, including Beatrice Beebe, Antonio Damasio, Vittorio Gallese, Eric Kandel, Joseph Ledoux, Helen Mayberg, and Jaak Panksepp.

The Pfeffer Center developed out of a working group of psychoanalysts who were interested in re-building a bridge to neuroscience. Led by Arnold Pfeffer, this group included senior members of NYPSI such as Mortimer Ostow, David Milrod, and Peter Neubauer. During a series of presentations by Mark Solms on depth neuropsychology in the early 1990s, this group became formalized as the Neuroscience and Psychoanalysis Study Group. This group, which evolved into the Arnold Pfeffer Center for Neuropsychoanalysis, then began to invite other researchers to speak and opened the meetings to the public.

The Arnold Pfeffer Center discussions are held at 10:00 am at NYPSI on the first Saturday of every month (excluding January, July, August, and September).  Presentations are followed by discussion lead by Dr. Mark Solms or invited discussants.

These meetings are open to the public. Please refer to NYPSI’s Events & Lectures Calendar for more details.

Neuroscientific Advisory Board

  • Joan Borod, Ph.D.
  • Jason Brown, M.D.
  • Antonio Damasio, M.D., Ph.D.
  • John DeLuca, Ph.D.
  • Wolf-Dieter Heiss, M.D.
  • Nicholas Humphrey, Ph.D.
  • Eric Kandel, M.D., Ph.D.
  • Marcel Kinsbourne, M.D.
  • Joseph LeDoux, Ph.D.
  • Benjamin Libet, M.D.
  • Detlef Linke, M.D.
  • Rudolfo Llinas, M.D.
  • John Marshall, Ph.D.
  • Karl Pribram, M.D.
  • Vilayanur Ramachandran, M.D.
  • Todd Sacktor, M.D.
  • Michael Saling, Ph.D.
  • Daniel Schacter, Ph.D.
  • Allan Schore, Ph.D.
  • James Schwartz, M.D., Ph.D.
  • Tim Shallice, Ph.D.
  • Wolf Singer, M.D.
  • Max Velmans, Ph.D.