Risto Näätänen obituary

In Memoriam: Risto Kalervo Näätänen (1939-2023) – A Lifetime of Scientific Innovation

Risto Kalervo Näätänen, a distinguished Finnish psychological scientist whose groundbreaking work in cognitive neuroscience reshaped our understanding of perception and cognition, has passed away in October 2023. His legacy in the scientific community and his contributions to cognitive neuroscience will forever be remembered.

Näätänen embarked on his academic journey by studying psychology at the University of Helsinki in 1958. His pursuit of knowledge led him to the laboratory of Donald B. Lindsley at the University of California, Los Angeles, where he delved into cognitive electrophysiology between 1965 and 1966. Under Lindsley’s mentorship, Näätänen defended his doctoral dissertation on the brain mechanisms of selective attention at the University of Helsinki in 1967. This early academic feat was marked by his refutation of a well-known experimental design, which subsequently fell into disuse.

In 1975, at the age of 36 and with thirteen academic articles to his name, Näätänen was appointed as a Professor of General Psychology at the University of Helsinki. Although he remained at the department until 1999 in practice, from 1983, he was on leave, salaried as an Academy Professor of the Academy of Finland. He played a pivotal role in establishing the Cognitive Brain Research Unit (CBRU) at the University of Helsinki, where he served as director from 1991 to 2006.

Näätänen officially retired in 2007, and a retirement symposium was held in his honor in 2008. Nevertheless, retirement was merely a transition as he assumed the role of Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Tartu, Estonia. He also became a Visiting Professor at the Centre of Functionally Integrative Neurosciences (CFIN) of the University of Århus, Denmark. Additionally, he retained an affiliation with the University of Helsinki as of May 2014 and was bestowed the title of Academy Professor emeritus of the Academy of Finland.

Throughout his illustrious career, Näätänen actively served on editorial boards and reviewed for specialist journals, impacting the scientific world through collaborations with thousands of researchers. His work garnered impressive citations, cementing his position among the most-cited scientists worldwide. Notably, he was celebrated as the most-cited scientist in the history of Finland and Estonia.

In October 2023, Risto Näätänen passed away at the age of 84. His life’s work was centered around the discovery of the mismatch negativity (MMN), which he initially revealed in collaboration with Anthony W.K. Gaillard and Sirkka Mäntysalo. MMN, a scalp-negative component of the event-related potential, has profound implications for understanding cognitive processes. It influenced theories of language perception, cognitive development, and even played a role in clinical studies, offering insights into conditions like alcoholism, schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and dyslexia.

Näätänen’s impact extended to the realm of Finnish traffic politics. His studies on traffic behavior led to the establishment of speed limits on Finnish roads, contributing to enhanced road safety. In his later years, he expressed hope that MMN would be integrated into education, highlighting the potential of his research to benefit society.

As we bid farewell to Risto Näätänen, we remember a brilliant mind whose contributions to cognitive neuroscience have left an indelible mark on the scientific community. His dedication, innovation, and profound curiosity will continue to inspire generations of researchers and scholars.