The Other Brain

The Other Brain PDF Author: R. Douglas Fields
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1439160430
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 631

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Book Description
Despite everything that has been written about the brain, a potentially critical part of this vital organ has been overlooked—until now. The Other Brain examines the growing importance of glia, which make up approximately 85 percent of the cells in the brain, and the role they play in how the brain functions, malfunctions, and heals itself. Long neglected as little more than cerebral packing material, glia (meaning “glue”) are now known to regulate the flow of information between neurons and to repair the brain and spinal cord after injury and stroke. But scientists are also discovering that diseased and damaged glia play a significant role in psychiatric illnesses such as schizophrenia and depression, and in neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. Diseased glia cause brain cancer and multiple sclerosis and are linked to infectious diseases such as HIV and prion disease (mad cow disease, for example) and to chronic pain. The more we learn about these cells that make up the “other” brain, the more important they seem to be. Written by a neuroscientist who is a leader in glial research, The Other Brain gives readers a much more complete understanding of how the brain works and an intriguing look at potentially revolutionary developments in brain science and medicine.

The Other Brain

The Other Brain PDF Author: R. Douglas Fields
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1439160430
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 631

Get Book

Book Description
Despite everything that has been written about the brain, a potentially critical part of this vital organ has been overlooked—until now. The Other Brain examines the growing importance of glia, which make up approximately 85 percent of the cells in the brain, and the role they play in how the brain functions, malfunctions, and heals itself. Long neglected as little more than cerebral packing material, glia (meaning “glue”) are now known to regulate the flow of information between neurons and to repair the brain and spinal cord after injury and stroke. But scientists are also discovering that diseased and damaged glia play a significant role in psychiatric illnesses such as schizophrenia and depression, and in neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. Diseased glia cause brain cancer and multiple sclerosis and are linked to infectious diseases such as HIV and prion disease (mad cow disease, for example) and to chronic pain. The more we learn about these cells that make up the “other” brain, the more important they seem to be. Written by a neuroscientist who is a leader in glial research, The Other Brain gives readers a much more complete understanding of how the brain works and an intriguing look at potentially revolutionary developments in brain science and medicine.

The Other Brain

The Other Brain PDF Author: R. Douglas Fields
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
ISBN: 9780743291422
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
Despite everything that has been written about the brain, a potentially critical part of this vital organ has been overlooked—until now. The Other Brain examines the growing importance of glia, which make up approximately 85 percent of the cells in the brain, and the role they play in how the brain functions, malfunctions, and heals itself. Long neglected as little more than cerebral packing material, glia (meaning “glue”) are now known to regulate the flow of information between neurons and to repair the brain and spinal cord after injury and stroke. But scientists are also discovering that diseased and damaged glia play a significant role in psychiatric illnesses such as schizophrenia and depression, and in neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. Diseased glia cause brain cancer and multiple sclerosis and are linked to infectious diseases such as HIV and prion disease (mad cow disease, for example) and to chronic pain. The more we learn about these cells that make up the “other” brain, the more important they seem to be. Written by a neuroscientist who is a leader in glial research, The Other Brain gives readers a much more complete understanding of how the brain works and an intriguing look at potentially revolutionary developments in brain science and medicine.

Discovering the Brain

Discovering the Brain PDF Author: National Academy of Sciences
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309045290
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 195

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Book Description
The brain ... There is no other part of the human anatomy that is so intriguing. How does it develop and function and why does it sometimes, tragically, degenerate? The answers are complex. In Discovering the Brain, science writer Sandra Ackerman cuts through the complexity to bring this vital topic to the public. The 1990s were declared the "Decade of the Brain" by former President Bush, and the neuroscience community responded with a host of new investigations and conferences. Discovering the Brain is based on the Institute of Medicine conference, Decade of the Brain: Frontiers in Neuroscience and Brain Research. Discovering the Brain is a "field guide" to the brainâ€"an easy-to-read discussion of the brain's physical structure and where functions such as language and music appreciation lie. Ackerman examines: How electrical and chemical signals are conveyed in the brain. The mechanisms by which we see, hear, think, and pay attentionâ€"and how a "gut feeling" actually originates in the brain. Learning and memory retention, including parallels to computer memory and what they might tell us about our own mental capacity. Development of the brain throughout the life span, with a look at the aging brain. Ackerman provides an enlightening chapter on the connection between the brain's physical condition and various mental disorders and notes what progress can realistically be made toward the prevention and treatment of stroke and other ailments. Finally, she explores the potential for major advances during the "Decade of the Brain," with a look at medical imaging techniquesâ€"what various technologies can and cannot tell usâ€"and how the public and private sectors can contribute to continued advances in neuroscience. This highly readable volume will provide the public and policymakersâ€"and many scientists as wellâ€"with a helpful guide to understanding the many discoveries that are sure to be announced throughout the "Decade of the Brain."

The Brain Book

The Brain Book PDF Author: Rita Carter
Publisher: Dorling Kindersley Ltd
ISBN: 0241444098
Category : Health & Fitness
Languages : en
Pages : 264

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Book Description
This science ebook of award-wiining print edition uses the latest findings from neuroscience research and brain-imaging technology to take you on a journey into the human brain. CGI artworks and brain MRI scans reveal the brain's anatomy in unprecedented detail. Step-by-step sequences unravel and simplify the complex processes of brain function, such as how nerves transmit signals, how memories are laid down and recalled, and how we register emotions. The book answers fundamental and compelling questions about the brain: what does it means to be conscious, what happens when we're asleep,and are the brains of men and women different? Written by award-winning author Rita Carter, this is an accessible and authoritative reference book to a fascinating part of the human body. Thanks to improvements in scanning technology, our understanding of the brain is changing fast. Now in its third edition, the Brain Book provides an up-to-date guide to one of science's most exciting frontiers. With its coverage of over 50 brain-related diseases and disorders - from strokes to brain tumours and schizophrenia - it is also an essential manual for students and healthcare professionals.

The Brain Book

The Brain Book PDF Author: Liam Drew
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 0744049385
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 74

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Book Description
A fun, fact-packed introduction to the brain and nervous system for young science enthusiasts The brain - a wrinkly, spongy mass the size of a cauliflower that sits in our heads and controls everything we do! Discover what it’s made of, how it works, and why we even need one in this fun, fact-packed introduction to the brain. Inside the pages of this STEM book for kids, budding young scientists will discover: • An age-appropriate introduction to the brain, what it is, what it does, how it works, and how it evolved • All about how scientists study the brain and nervous system • Introduces concepts like how we think, what consciousness is, and how the brains of other animals are different • Encourages young readers to develop an interest in STEAM fields - including biology, medicine, and science • Each page is filled with engaging photographs and artworks with easy to understand text Help them grow their brain while learning about it Filled with colorful illustrations and bite-sized chunks of information, this book covers all your questions on everything from the anatomy of the brain and nervous system, to how information is collected and sent around the body. It also explores questions about the brain that we don’t know the answers to yet! This educational book for kids introduces complex topics in an age-appropriate way, from how our brains learn, and how processes like making memories, thinking, emotions, and sleep happen in the brain. Kids will also learn about the weird and wonderful world of different animal brains and how they impact their behavior. With entertaining illustrated characters, clear diagrams, and fascinating photographs, children will love learning about their minds and this all-important organ. Keep little ones learning with more in the series The Brain Book is an ideal introduction to the brain and nervous system. Other titles in this educational book series include The Bacteria Book and The DNA Book - an excellent introduction to science for young readers and a great addition to any STEAM library.

The Woman Who Changed Her Brain

The Woman Who Changed Her Brain PDF Author: Barbara Arrowsmith-Young
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1451607946
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 288

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Book Description
Previously published in hardcover: New York: Free Press, 2012.

Brain and Culture

Brain and Culture PDF Author: Bruce E. Wexler
Publisher: MIT Press
ISBN: 0262265141
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 313

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Book Description
Research shows that between birth and early adulthood the brain requires sensory stimulation to develop physically. The nature of the stimulation shapes the connections among neurons that create the neuronal networks necessary for thought and behavior. By changing the cultural environment, each generation shapes the brains of the next. By early adulthood, the neuroplasticity of the brain is greatly reduced, and this leads to a fundamental shift in the relationship between the individual and the environment: during the first part of life, the brain and mind shape themselves to the major recurring features of their environment; by early adulthood, the individual attempts to make the environment conform to the established internal structures of the brain and mind. In Brain and Culture, Bruce Wexler explores the social implications of the close and changing neurobiological relationship between the individual and the environment, with particular attention to the difficulties individuals face in adulthood when the environment changes beyond their ability to maintain the fit between existing internal structure and external reality. These difficulties are evident in bereavement, the meeting of different cultures, the experience of immigrants (in which children of immigrant families are more successful than their parents at the necessary internal transformations), and the phenomenon of interethnic violence. Integrating recent neurobiological research with major experimental findings in cognitive and developmental psychology—with illuminating references to psychoanalysis, literature, anthropology, history, and politics—Wexler presents a wealth of detail to support his arguments. The groundbreaking connections he makes allow for reconceptualization of the effect of cultural change on the brain and provide a new biological base from which to consider such social issues as "culture wars" and ethnic violence.

Why We Snap

Why We Snap PDF Author: Douglas Fields
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 0698194314
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 336

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Book Description
The startling new science behind sudden acts of violence and the nine triggers this groundbreaking researcher has uncovered We all have a rage circuit we can’t fully control once it is engaged as R. Douglas Fields, PhD, reveals in this essential book for our time. The daily headlines are filled with examples of otherwise rational people with no history of violence or mental illness suddenly snapping in a domestic dispute, an altercation with police, or road rage attack. We all wish to believe that we are in control of our actions, but the fact is, in certain circumstances we are not. The sad truth is that the right trigger in the right circumstance can unleash a fit of rage in almost anyone. But there is a twist: Essentially the same pathway in the brain that can result in a violent outburst can also enable us to act heroically and altruistically before our conscious brain knows what we are doing. Think of the stranger who dives into a frigid winter lake to save a drowning child. Dr. Fields is an internationally recognized neurobiologist and authority on the brain and the cellular mechanisms of memory. He has spent years trying to understand the biological basis of rage and anomalous violence, and he has concluded that our culture’s understanding of the problem is based on an erroneous assumption: that rage attacks are the product of morally or mentally defective individuals, rather than a capacity that we all possess. Fields shows that violent behavior is the result of the clash between our evolutionary hardwiring and triggers in our contemporary world. Our personal space is more crowded than ever, we get less sleep, and we just aren't as fit as our ancestors. We need to understand how the hardwiring works and how to recognize the nine triggers. With a totally new perspective, engaging narrative, and practical advice, Why We Snap uncovers the biological roots of the rage response and how we can protect ourselves—and others.

The Brain Book

The Brain Book PDF Author: Peter Russell
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1135853843
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 286

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Book Description
First published in 1980. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

The Great Big Brain Book

The Great Big Brain Book PDF Author: Mary Hoffman
Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children's Books
ISBN: 0711241562
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 40

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Book Description
The Great Big Brain Book introduces children to what the human brain is all about. Each spread features humorous, bright and engaging artwork, accompanied by accessible yet informative text on the human brain. Get ready to uncover everything you ever wanted to know about the human brain. Your brain is absolutely amazing! They are responsible for absolutely every single thing we do. Every time we breathe, or walk or talk or eat, it’s all because of our brilliant brains! When we feel happy or sad, when we drop something, when we run or draw - none of this would be possible without our fantastic brains. Find out how our brains work, how they control the rest of the body and how they change over time. From how they create our memories, to how they help us learn new things and what happens to them when we are asleep, great ready to uncover lots of fascinating facts about the brain. And don’t forget to look out for the friendly cat on every page, helping us learn all about our wonderful brains!