Cerebral Cortex

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 provides insights into the principles of operation of the cerebral cortex. These principles are key to understanding how we, as humans, function. The book includes Appendices on the operation of many of the neuronal networks described in the book, together with simulation software written in Matlab.

There has been substantial progress in understanding the contributions of the auditory forebrain to hearing, sound localization, communication, emotive behavior, and cognition. The Auditory Cortex covers the latest knowledge about the auditory forebrain, including the auditory cortex as well as the medial geniculate body in the thalamus. This book will cover all important aspects of the auditory forebrain organization and function, integrating the auditory thalamus and cortex into a smooth, coherent whole. Volume One covers basic auditory neuroscience. It complements The Auditory Cortex, Volume 2: Integrative Neuroscience, which takes a more applied/clinical perspective.

This is the third edition of the translation, by Laurence Garey, of "Vergleichende Lokalisationslehre der Grosshirnrinde" by Korbinian Brodmann, originally published by Barth-Verlag in Leipzig in 1909. It is one of the major "classics" of the neurological world. Even today it forms the basis for so-called "localisation" of function in the cerebral cortex. Brodmann's "areas" are still used to designate functional regions in the cortex, the part of the brain that brings the world that surrounds us into consciousness, and which governs our responses to the world. For example, we use "area 4" for the "motor" cortex, with which we control our muscles, "area 17" for "visual" cortex, with which we see, and so on. This nomenclature is used by neurologists and neurosurgeons in the human context, as well as by experimentalists in various animals. Indeed, Brodmann's famous "maps" of the cerebral cortex of humans, monkeys and other mammals must be among the most commonly reproduced figures in neurobiological publishing. The most famous of all is that of the human brain. There can be few textbooks of neurology, neurophysiology or neuroanatomy in which Brodmann is not cited, and his concepts pervade most research publications on systematic neurobiology. In spite of this, few people have ever seen a copy of the 1909 monograph, and even fewer have actually read it! There had never been a complete English translation available until the first edition of the present translation of 1994, and the original book had been almost unavailable for 50 years or more, the few antiquarian copies still around commanding high prices. As Laurence Garey, too, used Brodmann’s findings and maps in his neurobiological work, and had the good fortune to have access to a copy of the book, he decided to read the complete text and soon discovered that this was much more than just a report of laboratory findings of a turn-of-the-twentieth-century neurologist. It was an account of neurobiological thinking at that time, covering aspects of comparative neuroanatomy, neurophysiology and neuropathology, as well as giving a fascinating insight into the complex relationships between European neurologists during the momentous times when the neuron theory was still new.

This comprehensive and detailed work covering the fascinatingly organized architecture and connections of the cerebral cortex. After establishing the evolutionary approach of the origin of the cerebral cortex, the authors have systematically analyzed, in detail, the common principle underlying the architecture and connections of sensory and motor systems. The frontal, limbic, and multimodal association areas, as well as the long fiber pathways, are thoroughly discussed. The anatomical investigations have been complimented with current clinical and experimental observations, as well as neuroimaging studies. This unique approach, exploring the underlying principle of the architecture and connections of the cerebral cortex, has previously never been undertaken. In the concluding chapter of the book, the authors have provided the usefulness of such an approach for future investigations. Filled with extensive illustrations and historical references to each sensory, motor, and association systems, this monograph is essential for academics seeking a deeper understanding of the cerebral cortex.

This volume of the series on "Cerebral Cortex" deals with a variety of topics that need to be considered in our overall understanding of the functions of the cerebral hemispheres. Chapters in the first part of this volume deal with normal functions that were not covered in earlier volumes, while chapters in the latter part deal with the functioning of the cortex in various altered states. The first chapter is by Eberhard Fetz, Keisuke Toyama, and Wade Smith, and it considers the interactions that can be demonstrated to exist between cortical neurons by using the technique of cross-correlation. The second chapter is by Brent Vogt who examines the connections and functions of layer I of the cerebral cortex, a layer that has been largely ignored in the past, and he proposes that this layer probably plays an important role in learning and memory acquisi tion. This is followed by a chapter in which Oswald Steward presents a review of what is currently known about synaptic replacement following denervation of cortical neurons, and especially those in the hippocampus.

The Parietal Lobe, Volume 151, the latest release from the Handbook of Clinical Neurology series, provides a foundation on the neuroanatomy, neurophysiology and clinical neurology/neuropsychology of the parietal lobe that is not only applicable to both basic researchers and clinicians, but also to students and specialists who are interested in learning more about disorders brought on by damage or dysfunction. Topics encompass the evolution, anatomy, connections, and neurophysiology, the major neurological and neuropsychological deficits and syndromes caused by damage, the potential for improvement via transcranial stimulation, and the role of the parietal in the cerebral networks for perception and action. Provides a broad overview of the neuroanatomy, neurophysiology and clinical neurology of this region of the cortex Offers additional insights regarding the role of the parietal in the cerebral networks for perception and action Addresses the most frequent complications associated with damage, including somatosensory, perceptual, language, and memory, deficits, pain, optic ataxia, spatial neglect, apraxia, and more Edited work with chapters authored by global leaders in the field Presents the broadest, most expert coverage available