Island Of Reil Insula In The Human Brain

This book provides an in-depth review of the insula, with emphasis on anatomical, diagnostics, clinical, and surgical features. The insular cortex is involved in a variety of functions, but a comprehensive resource cataloging these functions is not available in the current literature. This book gathers highly informative chapters written and edited by leading international authorities in the field and covers the full range of the insular cortex, approaching it in four main sections: firstly, the embryology and anatomy of the human insula; secondly, the functions of the human insula, including its role in nociception, language, decision making, cognition, emotional awareness etc.; thirdly, clinical disorders related to the insula such as epilepsy, schizophrenia, and Parkinson’s disease; and fourthly, surgical techniques for insular gliomas and temporal lobe epilepsy. This comprehensive reference book will be an ideal source for neurosurgeons, neurologists and neuroanatomists seeking both basic and more advanced information regarding this unique structure in the human brain.

Windows to the Brain is the only book to synthesize neuroanatomical and imaging research as it pertains to selected neuropsychiatric diseases, containing all of the "Windows to the Brain" papers published from 1999-2006 in the Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences. These reader-friendly summaries by more than sixty contributors present modern imaging techniques that assist in the diagnosis of neuropsychiatric illness, enhanced by easily understood color graphics of the neuroanatomical circuits of behavior, memory, and emotion. They provide a basic understanding of how to apply a variety of imaging techniques to the study of adult neuropsychiatric disease and how to use neuroimaging to assist in diagnostic work-ups for conditions ranging from sleep disorders to epilepsy to borderline personality. Integrated, color-coded graphics present functional anatomical information in a manner that promotes understanding and use in clinical practice, while the text encompasses a wide range of diseases and injuries across the adult lifespan. The book is organized into four sections that will help readers increase their appreciation of the wide range of research and clinical applications for imaging in neuropsychiatry: chapters on imaging techniques discuss underlying principles, strengths and weaknesses, and applications; chapters on specific diseases demonstrate a range of investigative techniques; anatomy/circuit chapters focus on particular brain structures or functional neuropsychiatric circuits; and final chapters present image-based approaches to understanding or selecting treatment options. Some of the applications described are: Use of fMRI in posttraumatic stress disorder to reveal the delicate balance between the structures of the emotion and memory tracks; Use of high-resolution MRI and nuclear imaging to distinguish between panic disorder and simple partial seizure disorder; Use of functional imaging studies to detect corticobasal degeneration, as a means of better understanding dementia; Use of newer imaging techniques in identifying progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, to enable more rapid and reliable tailoring of individual therapy for HIV; Use of functional neuroimaging in the study of fear, in order to better understand and treat anxiety-based psychiatric disorders; Use of neuroimaging studies in conversion disorder, showing implications for the disruption of selfhood in dissociative identity disorder and schizophrenia; Use of FDG-PET scans to look for predictors of treatment response in childhood-onset obsessive-compulsive disorder. Windows to the Brain can help bring less-experienced readers up to speed on advanced imaging and anatomical details that pertain to the modern practice of neuropsychiatry. It is must-reading for specialists in neuropsychiatry and cognitive/behavioral neurology, or for general psychiatrists with an interest in neuroimaging.

Historical remarks -- The cerebral architecture -- Cranial-cerebral relationships applied to microneurosurgery

Newly revised and updated, A Textbook of Neuroanatomy, Second Edition is a concise text designed to help students easily master the anatomy and basic physiology of the nervous system. Accessible and clear, the book highlights interrelationships between systems, structures, and the rest of the body as the chapters move through the various regions of the brain. Building on the solid foundation of the first edition, A Textbook of Neuroanatomy now includes two new chapters on the brainstem and reflexes, as well as dozens of new micrographs illustrating key structures. Throughout the book the clinical relevance of the material is emphasized through clinical cases, questions, and follow-up discussions in each chapter, motivating students to learn the information. A companion website is also available, featuring study aids and artwork from the book as PowerPoint slides. A Textbook of Neuroanatomy, Second Edition is an invaluable resource for students of general, clinical and behavioral neuroscience and neuroanatomy.

Man has been pondering for centuries over the basis of his own ethical and aesthetic values. Until recent times, such issues were primarily fed by the thinking of philosophers, moralists and theologists, or by the findings of historians or sociologists relating to universality or variations in these values within various populations. Science has avoided this field of investigation within the confines of philosophy. Beyond the temptation to stay away from the field of knowledge science may also have felt itself unconcerned by the study of human values for a simple heuristic reason, namely the lack of tools allowing objective study. For the same reason, researchers tended to avoid the study of feelings or consciousness until, over the past two decades, this became a focus of interest for many neuroscientists. It is apparent that many questions linked to research in the field of neuroscience are now arising. The hope is that this book will help to formulate them more clearly rather than skirting them. The authors do not wish to launch a new moral philosophy, but simply to gather objective knowledge for reflection.

Recent work in cognitive neuroscience, clinical psychology, psychiatry and neurology has implicated the insular cortex in a variety of functions, ranging from low-level perceptual and basic sensory processes to high-level cognitive processes including attention and cognitive control. Given the multitude of functions supported by this diverse brain region, it is imperative for clinicians and scientists to have a resource summarising the current literature. This volume includes a collection of chapters from leaders in the field. A detailed neuroanatomy of the human insular cortex is described, including what is known about its connectivity profile and pattern of interactions with other brain regions. The functional profile of the insula is reviewed, with a particular emphasis on information that is critical for clinicians to keep in mind. Scientists at all levels, from graduate students with a growing interest in the enigmatic insular cortex, to research scientists who have been actively studying this region for their entire careers, will find this volume to be a useful and concise resource.

"An ambitious and meticulous foray into the nature of being." -- The Boston Globe A landmark exploration of the relationship between emotion and reason Since Descartes famously proclaimed, "I think, therefore I am," science has often overlooked emotions as the source of a person’s true being. Even modern neuroscience has tended, until recently, to concentrate on the cognitive aspects of brain function, disregarding emotions. This attitude began to change with the publication of Descartes’ Error in 1995. Antonio Damasio—"one of the world’s leading neurologists" (The New York Times)—challenged traditional ideas about the connection between emotions and rationality. In this wondrously engaging book, Damasio takes the reader on a journey of scientific discovery through a series of case studies, demonstrating what many of us have long suspected: emotions are not a luxury, they are essential to rational thinking and to normal social behavior.