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 volume in the Progress in Brain Research series features reviews on the functional neuroanatomy and connectivity of the brain areas involved in controlling eye movements. Oculomotor control of the eyes is now the subject of many research projects and advances in this field are relevant to understanding motor control in general.

Waking and the Reticular Activating System in Health and Disease provides a comprehensive overview on the “activating properties of the RAS. In health, the RAS provides the basis against which we assess the external world, and in disease it distorts that world and shatters our self-image. This book describes the physiology of each process, how it is disturbed in each disorder, and what the most appropriate treatment should be. Dr. Garcia-Rill, along with contributions from leading specialists, discusses the understanding of the RAS as a system not only modulating waking, but also in charge of survival mechanisms such as fight vs flight responses and reflexes. The full spectrum of these functions helps explain the complexity of symptoms evident in such disorders as disparate as schizophrenia and Parkinson’s disease. The book reviews the mechanisms that control waking and arousal, and especially how those mechanisms malfunction in certain neurological and psychiatric disorders. First comprehensive overview on the RAS and its role in schizophrenia, major depression, autism, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and other neurologic and mental diseases Offers a new way of thinking about brain function and the role of the RAS in our waking lives Written by a leading translational neuroscience researcher with contributions by specialists in the field

A succinct, neurobiological explanation of the pathways that 'wake up the brain' from deep anesthesia, sleep and brain injury.

New edition building on the success of previous one. Retains core aim of providing an accessible introduction to behavioral neuroanatomy.