Goldberg Elkhonon (born 7 November 1946, Riga) — neuropsychologist, neuroscientist.
Elkhonon Goldberg was born and raised in Riga. After completing secondary school, he enrolled at Moscow State University, where he studied psychology and mathematics. He became a student of the world-renowned neuropsychologist A.R. Luria. Under Luria’s supervision, Goldberg completed postgraduate studies from 1970 to 1973 and prepared a dissertation, but ultimately chose not to defend it, understanding that obtaining an academic degree would likely reduce his chances of being granted permission to emigrate.
He returned to Riga and emigrated to the United States in 1974. In 1976, he defended a dissertation and received a Ph.D. from the City University of New York (CUNY). From 1976 to 1978, he worked as a lecturer in psychiatry at Cornell Medical Center in New York, and from 1978 to 1982 as an assistant professor of psychiatry at the State University of New York Medical Center. Since 1981, he has been an adjunct professor at CUNY, and since 1993, professor of neurology at the NYU School of Medicine. In 1999, he became Director of the Institute of Neuropsychology.
As a visiting professor, Elkhonon Goldberg has delivered specialised neuropsychology courses at universities across the United States, Europe, Australia, Israel, and Latin America.
Professor Goldberg combined clinical and teaching practice with extensive research in neuropsychology. He conducted long-term studies on the functional asymmetry of the cerebral hemispheres — identifying the left hemisphere as responsible for logical and analytical thinking, and the right for intuitive and creative abilities. He gained international recognition for his work on the functional organisation of the cerebral cortex, introducing the concept of the “cognitive gradient” to explain differentiation across regions.
His groundbreaking research on the frontal lobes — previously thought to be auxiliary or inactive — led to their recognition as the pinnacle of nervous system evolution. Goldberg demonstrated that the frontal lobes coordinate all other brain functions, play a key role in self-awareness, and are central to complex decision-making.
His memory research focuses on retrograde amnesia as an independent phenomenon and the role of brainstem activation in memory mechanisms.
Clinically, Goldberg is known as a strong advocate of “cognitive fitness,” which utilises lifelong neuroplasticity to slow or even reverse cognitive ageing. He argues that lifelong intellectual engagement enhances the capacity to make significant decisions, often through intuition. This concept materialised in the development of the Mental Fitness Program, a series of game-based exercises targeting attention, memory, language, speech, and decision-making.
He is the author of four books, translated into many languages (including Latvian), and of over 100 scholarly works.
Selected works: Contemporary Neuropsychology and the Legacy of Luria. Hillsdale, NJ, 1990; The Executive Brain: Frontal Lobes and the Civilized Mind. NY, 2001, paperback 2002; The Wisdom Paradox: How Your Mind Can Grow Stronger As Your Brain Grows Older. NY, 2005, paperback 2006; The New Executive Brain: Frontal Lobes in a Complex World. NY, 2009.