Discovering the Brain

Discovering the Brain
Author: National Academy of Sciences
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 195
Release: 1992-01-01
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 0309045290

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."

Human Brain Function

Human Brain Function
Author: Karl J. Friston
Publisher: Elsevier
Total Pages: 1161
Release: 2004-01-26
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 0080472958

This updated second edition provides the state of the art perspective of the theory, practice and application of modern non-invasive imaging methods employed in exploring the structural and functional architecture of the normal and diseased human brain. Like the successful first edition, it is written by members of the Functional Imaging Laboratory - the Wellcome Trust funded London lab that has contributed much to the development of brain imaging methods and their application in the last decade. This book should excite and intrigue anyone interested in the new facts about the brain gained from neuroimaging and also those who wish to participate in this area of brain science.* Represents an almost entirely new book from 1st edition, covering the rapid advances in methods and in understanding of how human brains are organized* Reviews major advances in cognition, perception, emotion and action* Introduces novel experimental designs and analytical techniques made possible with fMRI, including event-related designs and non-linear analysis

From Molecules to Minds

From Molecules to Minds
Author: Institute of Medicine
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 90
Release: 2008-12-07
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0309120926

Neuroscience has made phenomenal advances over the past 50 years and the pace of discovery continues to accelerate. On June 25, 2008, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) Forum on Neuroscience and Nervous System Disorders hosted more than 70 of the leading neuroscientists in the world, for a workshop titled "From Molecules to Minds: Challenges for the 21st Century." The objective of the workshop was to explore a set of common goals or "Grand Challenges" posed by participants that could inspire and rally both the scientific community and the public to consider the possibilities for neuroscience in the 21st century. The progress of the past in combination with new tools and techniques, such as neuroimaging and molecular biology, has positioned neuroscience on the cusp of even greater transformational progress in our understanding of the brain and how its inner workings result in mental activity. This workshop summary highlights the important issues and challenges facing the field of neuroscience as presented to those in attendance at the workshop, as well as the subsequent discussion that resulted. As a result, three overarching Grand Challenges emerged: How does the brain work and produce mental activity? How does physical activity in the brain give rise to thought, emotion, and behavior? How does the interplay of biology and experience shape our brains and make us who we are today? How do we keep our brains healthy? How do we protect, restore, or enhance the functioning of our brains as we age?

Human Brain Theory

Human Brain Theory
Author: Andrey S. Bryukhovetskiy
Publisher:
Total Pages: 240
Release: 2016
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 9781634847674

The book was written as an attempt to find the solution to one of the most complex and unsolved issues of the human anatomy: the understanding of the human brain and the principles according to which it operates. Currently, it is important to look at the challenge in an alternatively non-standard, yet still systemic way, paying less attention to details and outlining the ways out of this crisis of neuroscience. The purpose of this monograph is to describe the author's theory about the brain's architecture and operation to the medical and scientific community. Accompanied with extensive clinical, research and training experience, the author's theoretical concepts of the brain synthesized with scientific evidence brought about the conclusion that low efficiency in neurologic therapy and mental diseases; the inability to work out mathematical models and simulations that could compete with the human brain; an academic dead end in the development of artificial intelligence; as well as high energy consumption of the computing innovations were conditioned by the inaccurate methodology and outdated anatomical and physiological views of the neurologists and neuroscientists on information processing in the brain, registration of memories and basic functions of the key morphological structures of the brain. The morphological structure and physiological functions of all known anatomical formations of the brain were defined in the late nineteenth century. Since then, these functions have been accepted as dogmatic. The book shows that present day multi-level neuroresearch relies on the foundation of systemic, morphofunctional and neuroanatomic knowledge about the brain structure. It looks for correlations between genome and post-genome data of molecular research in the brain tissue, as well as with neuropsychological and cognitive data; that is, the book intends to integrate the non-integrable into unified information space. The systemic approach in neuroresearch has become outdated by now and interferes with scientific development. The information approach in the author's research of the genome, transcriptome, proteome in health and in disease permitted the analysis of the inductivity and magnetization of the nervous tissue. It also provided the explanation for targeted movement of the data in the module of the nervous tissue. The author came to the conclusion that gene, protein and neural networks "confused and chained" the pathways of scientific thought. Neural networks are only logistic constructions to provide data transfer in the brain between different modules of the nervous tissue. The author presumes that the funds invested in the development of brain simulations and artificial intelligence will hardly result in the expected advantages. If we are unable to step over the stereotypes of the systemic, morphofunctional research of the previous century, no progress shall come about. The author's theoretical survey resulted in the unique information-commutation theory of the brain and formulation of the key principles of brain operation. As a clinician and professor of neurology, the author underpins his theory with clinical examples. This book presents the framework of the ideas that require experimental research and proof.

From Neurons to Neighborhoods

From Neurons to Neighborhoods
Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 610
Release: 2000-11-13
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 0309069882

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.

A Thousand Brains

A Thousand Brains
Author: Jeff Hawkins
Publisher: Basic Books
Total Pages: 251
Release: 2021-03-02
Genre: Computers
ISBN: 1541675800

A bestselling author, neuroscientist, and computer engineer unveils a theory of intelligence that will revolutionize our understanding of the brain and the future of AI. For all of neuroscience's advances, we've made little progress on its biggest question: How do simple cells in the brain create intelligence? Jeff Hawkins and his team discovered that the brain uses maplike structures to build a model of the world—not just one model, but hundreds of thousands of models of everything we know. This discovery allows Hawkins to answer important questions about how we perceive the world, why we have a sense of self, and the origin of high-level thought. A Thousand Brains heralds a revolution in the understanding of intelligence. It is a big-think book, in every sense of the word. One of the Financial Times' Best Books of 2021 One of Bill Gates' Five Favorite Books of 2021

From Monkey Brain to Human Brain

From Monkey Brain to Human Brain
Author: Stanislas Dehaene
Publisher: MIT Press
Total Pages: 446
Release: 2005
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 9780262042239

Leaders in cognitive psychology, comparative biology, and neuroscience discuss patterns of convergence and divergence seen in studies of human and nonhuman primate brains. The extraordinary overlap between human and chimpanzee genomes does not result in an equal overlap between human and chimpanzee thoughts, sensations, perceptions, and emotions; there are considerable similarities but also considerable differences between human and nonhuman primate brains. From Monkey Brain to Human Brain uses the latest findings in cognitive psychology, comparative biology, and neuroscience to look at the complex patterns of convergence and divergence in primate cortical organization and function. Several chapters examine the use of modern technologies to study primate brains, analyzing the potentials and the limitations of neuroimaging as well as genetic and computational approaches. These methods, which can be applied identically across different species of primates, help to highlight the paradox of nonlinear primate evolution--the fact that major changes in brain size and functional complexity resulted from small changes in the genome. Other chapters identify plausible analogs or homologs in nonhuman primates for such human cognitive functions as arithmetic, reading, theory of mind, and altruism; examine the role of parietofrontal circuits in the production and comprehension of actions; analyze the contributions of the prefrontal and cingulate cortices to cognitive control; and explore to what extent visual recognition and visual attention are related in humans and other primates. The Fyssen Foundation is dedicated to encouraging scientific inquiry into the cognitive mechanisms that underlie animal and human behavior and has long sponsored symposia on topics of central importance to the cognitive sciences.

The Behavioral and Social Sciences

The Behavioral and Social Sciences
Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 301
Release: 1988-02-01
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0309037492

This volume explores the scientific frontiers and leading edges of research across the fields of anthropology, economics, political science, psychology, sociology, history, business, education, geography, law, and psychiatry, as well as the newer, more specialized areas of artificial intelligence, child development, cognitive science, communications, demography, linguistics, and management and decision science. It includes recommendations concerning new resources, facilities, and programs that may be needed over the next several years to ensure rapid progress and provide a high level of returns to basic research.

How People Learn

How People Learn
Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 386
Release: 2000-08-11
Genre: Education
ISBN: 0309131979

First released in the Spring of 1999, How People Learn has been expanded to show how the theories and insights from the original book can translate into actions and practice, now making a real connection between classroom activities and learning behavior. This edition includes far-reaching suggestions for research that could increase the impact that classroom teaching has on actual learning. Like the original edition, this book offers exciting new research about the mind and the brain that provides answers to a number of compelling questions. When do infants begin to learn? How do experts learn and how is this different from non-experts? What can teachers and schools do-with curricula, classroom settings, and teaching methodsâ€"to help children learn most effectively? New evidence from many branches of science has significantly added to our understanding of what it means to know, from the neural processes that occur during learning to the influence of culture on what people see and absorb. How People Learn examines these findings and their implications for what we teach, how we teach it, and how we assess what our children learn. The book uses exemplary teaching to illustrate how approaches based on what we now know result in in-depth learning. This new knowledge calls into question concepts and practices firmly entrenched in our current education system. Topics include: How learning actually changes the physical structure of the brain. How existing knowledge affects what people notice and how they learn. What the thought processes of experts tell us about how to teach. The amazing learning potential of infants. The relationship of classroom learning and everyday settings of community and workplace. Learning needs and opportunities for teachers. A realistic look at the role of technology in education.

The Altruistic Brain

The Altruistic Brain
Author: Donald W. Pfaff
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Total Pages: 313
Release: 2015
Genre: Family & Relationships
ISBN: 0199377464

"Unlike any other study in its field, The Altruistic Brain synthesizes into one theory the most important research into how and why - by purely physical mechanisms - humans empathize with one another and respond altruistically."--Jacket.