John W. Olney, MD

SmartTots

Scientific Advisory Board, Member

Washington University in St. Louis

Endowed Chair, Professor of Neuropsychopharmacology

Professor of Psychiatry

Professor of Neuropathology

Education

University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa - B.A. (1956)

University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa - M.D. (1963)

Scientific Profile

Areas of Specialty: Dr. Olney specializes in psychiatry and neurology. Before achieving board certification in 1970, Dr. Olney discovered in 1969 that monosodium glutamate (MSG), a commonly used food additive at the time in baby food, destroys neurons in the developing brain when administered subcutaneously or orally to infant mice and monkeys. Since then he has published over 300 peer-reviewed articles, and has served as the principal investigator in multiple research projects, including recent studies demonstrating the toxicity of anesthetics in the developing rodent and primate brain. Dr. Olney’s animal-based studies have been instrumental in alerting the medical community about the potential dangers of anesthetics, as well as the need for additional research studies.

Research Activities: For more than four decades Dr. Olney has studied mechanisms of cell death in the developing and adult central nervous system (CNS) with a focus on factors such as drug exposure and abuse, food additives, and dietary supplements. He has also conducted multiple studies related to commonly used drugs in pediatric and obstetric medicine, including sedatives, anesthetics, analgesics and anticonvulsants. Dr. Olney has maintained an active experimental neuropathology research program for over 40 years and brings a great depth of knowledge and experience to the SmartTots Scientific Advisory Board.

When and why did you become interested in your field?

I applied for medical school in 1959 because I had a burning desire to pursue a research career aimed at developing a better understanding of the human brain from both a health and disease perspective. In medical school I became particularly interested in the developing nervous system and in pathological mechanisms that can disrupt normal development and lead to neuropsychiatric disabilities. Prevention of such disabilities is my ultimate goal, and the first step toward prevention is to develop a better understanding of the underlying causes.

Why SmartTots?

My research findings over the past decade have been instrumental in alerting the medical community that anesthetic drugs have the potential to induce cell death in the developing brain. It is important to educate the public regarding the goals of SmartTots, and to educate the medical community regarding the wisdom of exposing fetuses and infants to only the minimum amount of anesthesia that is necessary to provide high quality medical care.

What goals would you like to see SmartTots accomplish?

I hope to see SmartTots generate sufficient funding to support key studies that are essential for clarifying the nature and degree of risk that human fetuses and infants are subjected to when they undergo procedural sedation and/or general anesthesia. If it turns out that the risk is real and of a serious nature, the goal of SmartTots should be to support research aimed at developing methods that prevent the neurotoxic side effects of anesthetic drugs without interfering with their beneficial actions.

Recent Research Funding

Grant from National Institute on Drug Abuse (DA 05072)

Principal Investigator

Grant Tenure: 12/1/99-3/31/2011

Grant Title: Developmental Brain Damage by Drugs of Abuse
MERIT AWARD from National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (HD 37100)

Principal Investigator

Grant Tenure: 12/1/99-1/31/2012

Grant Title: Acute Brain Injury, Mechanisms and Protection
Grant from National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (HD052664)

Principal Investigator

Grant Tenure: 2/05/07-1/31/12

Grant Title: Anesthesia-Induced Developmental Neuroapoptosis in Non-Human Primates
Program Projects Grant from National Institute on Aging (AG 11355)

Program Director

Grant Tenure: 8/1/91 - 7/31/06

Grant Title: Excitatory Transmitters, Memory, Aging and Dementia

» View Dr. Olney's career highlights and publications »

Executive Board

Scientific Advisory Board

Affiliate Advisory Council

Steering Committee

Staff