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.

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."

This book, the seventh in the series 'Research and Perspectives in Neuroscience', contains the procedings of a meeting that was held in Paris on October14, 1996. The conference consisted of invited papers and poster presentations. The invited papers, included in this volume, were on cell proliferation prior to neuronal migration, on cellular and molecular factors characteristic of neuronal migration, and on postmigrational neuronal and axonal plasticity. There was a section devoted to disorders of neuronal migration and plasticity and the genetics of some developmental disorders. Great strides have been made in this relatively young branch of modern neuroscience.

For neuropsychologists, neurobiologists, psychologists, and researchers in developmental psychology and learning disabilities, this volume ensures a comprehensive understanding of the research on the development and function of the prefrontal cortex.

This is the most comprehensive book to be written on the subject of fetal MRI. It provides a practical hands-on approach to the use of state-of-the-art MRI techniques and the optimization of sequences. Fetal pathological conditions and methods of prenatal MRI diagnosis are discussed by organ system, and the available literature is reviewed. Interpretation of findings and potential artifacts are thoroughly considered with the aid of numerous high-quality illustrations. In addition, the implications of fetal MRI are explored from the medico-legal and ethical points of view. This book will serve as a detailed resource for radiologists, obstetricians, neonatologists, geneticists, and any practitioner wanting to gain an in-depth understanding of fetal MRI technology and applications. In addition, it will provide a reference source for technologists, researchers, students, and those who are implementing a fetal MRI service in their own facility.

Updated and expanded to 124 entries, The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Child Development remains the authoritative reference in the field.

The Blackwell Handbook of Early Childhood Development presents a comprehensive summary of research into child development from age two to seven. Comprises 30 contributions from both established scholars and emerging leaders in the field The editors have a distinguished reputation in early childhood development Covers biological development, cognitive development, language development, and social, emotional and regulatory development Considers the applications of psychology to the care and education of young children, treating issues such as poverty, media, and the transition to school A valuable resource for students, scholars and practitioners dealing with young children