The History of the Synapse provides a history of those discoveries concerning the identification and function of synapses that provide the foundations for research during this new century with a personal view of the process by which new concepts have developed. Previously published as essays, the chapters in this book provide a history of various aspects of synaptic function, beginning with the evolution over two and a half thousand years and how progress was made in the establishment of a conceptual structure that would allow the synapse to be identified at the beginning of the 20th century. Numerous illustrations explain either the technical approach or the experimental finding.

The question of how nerves communicate with one another was the subject of a heated & protracted dispute between pharmacologists & neurophysiologists. This book recalls the debate & how the theory of chemical transmission was eventually confirmed by the discovery of neurotransmitters.

"For both seasoned neurobiologists and interested newcomers to the field, this book is a worthwhile introduction to the wonders of synapses and the many opportunities for future study that they offer." -- "Science"

Two Doctors, the Spaniard Cajal and the Italian Golgi, were racing against each other to find out what brain cells looked like and how they managed to communicate with one another.

This solid introduction uses the principles of physics and the tools of mathematics to approach fundamental questions of neuroscience.

The Idea of Consciousness examines the problem of how the working of synaptic connections might give rise to consciousness, and describes the current neuroscientific concepts and techniques used to identify and explore those parts of the brain that may be involved. This book will serve as an invaluable and stimulating introduction to the subject. Beautifully illustrated, it is a must for anyone who is curious about consciousness.

How we raise young children is one of today's most highly personalized and sharply politicized issues, in part because each of us can claim some level of "expertise." The debate has intensified as discoveries about our development-in the womb and in the first months and years-have reached the popular media. How can we use our burgeoning knowledge to assure the well-being of all young children, for their own sake as well as for the sake of our nation? Drawing from new findings, this book presents important conclusions about nature-versus-nurture, the impact of being born into a working family, the effect of politics on programs for children, the costs and benefits of intervention, and other issues. The committee issues a series of challenges to decision makers regarding the quality of child care, issues of racial and ethnic diversity, the integration of children's cognitive and emotional development, and more. Authoritative yet accessible, From Neurons to Neighborhoods presents the evidence about "brain wiring" and how kids learn to speak, think, and regulate their behavior. It examines the effect of the climate-family, child care, community-within which the child grows.