The Brain S Alpha Rhythms And The Mind

To the author's knowledge this book is the first to review the whole field of the Alpha rhythm component of the electroencephalogram (EEG). It reviews the classical studies from the 1930s through the 1980s when EEG research became dominated by event-related potential studies. Renewed interest in the alpha rhythm developed in the 1990s when neuronal oscillations became a major focus of interest in the neurophysiology of brain function. Many of the later studies of alpha activity that resulted from this development are fully documented in the book. Three main themes are presented throughout the book. First, the recognition of the ubiquitous nature of the alpha rhythm such that there are multiple sites of alpha rhythm generation in the brain, many only being detected by using appropriate signal analysis techniques. This has resulted in the recognition of 'alpha activities', in place of the classical unitary alpha rhythm. Second, the attempts to use a hemisphere function model to relate alpha activity response to mental activity and inter-individual variation are critically reviewed and shown to be equivocal. In particular the significance of independent alpha components within the alpha frequency band is described. Third, both classical and new ideas about the generation of the EEG, particularly alpha activity, are reviewed and some new concepts about its functional significance are presented. There is currently extensive interest in the brain, particularly in relation to the concept of consciousness. Therefore, many chapters include introductory material relating to neuroscience, neuropsychology and psychophysiology. There is also a critique of the use of alpha activity in biofeedback, hypnosis and meditation. Because EEG research is very dependent on advances in the technology of EEG measurement, an introduction to this technology is included as an appendix. A second appendix describes the historical origin of the concept of desynchronisation.

This book provides eloquent support for the idea that spontaneous neuron activity, far from being mere noise, is actually the source of our cognitive abilities. In a sequence of "cycles," György Buzsáki guides the reader from the physics of oscillations through neuronal assembly organization to complex cognitive processing and memory storage. His clear, fluid writing-accessible to any reader with some scientific knowledge-is supplemented by extensive footnotes and references that make it just as gratifying and instructive a read for the specialist. The coherent view of a single author who has been at the forefront of research in this exciting field, this volume is essential reading for anyone interested in our rapidly evolving understanding of the brain.

Does the brain create the mind, or is some external entity involved? This book synthesizes ideas borrowed from philosophy, religion, and science. Topics range widely from brain imagining of thought processes to quantum mechanics and the essential role of information in brains and physical systems.

This book explains in layperson's terms a new approach to studying consciousness based on a partnership between neuroscientists and complexity scientists. The author, a physicist turned neuroscientist, outlines essential features of this partnership. The new science goes well beyond traditional cognitive science and simple neural networks, which are often the focus in artificial intelligence research. It involves many fields including neuroscience, artificial intelligence, physics, cognitive science, and psychiatry. What causes autism, schizophrenia, and Alzheimer's disease? How does our unconscious influence our actions? As the author shows, these important questions can be viewed in a new light when neuroscientists and complexity scientists work together. This cross-disciplinary approach also offers fresh insights into the major unsolved challenge of our age: the origin of self-awareness. Do minds emerge from brains? Or is something more involved? Using human social networks as a metaphor, the author explains how brain behavior can be compared with the collective behavior of large-scale global systems. Emergent global systems that interact and form relationships with lower levels of organization and the surrounding environment provide useful models for complex brain functions. By blending lucid explanations with illuminating analogies, this book offers the general reader a window into the latest exciting developments in brain research.

"Her purpose here is to discuss and illustrate the four types of brain waves—beta, alpha, theta, and delta—with emphasis on what they do, how they work together, and whether we can use their power."—Booklist.

The search for mind-brain relationships, with a particular emphasis on distinguishing hyperbole from solid empirical results in brain imaging studies. Cognitive neuroscience explores the relationship between our minds and our brains, most recently by drawing on brain imaging techniques to align neural mechanisms with psychological processes. In Mind and Brain, William Uttal offers a critical review of cognitive neuroscience, examining both its history and modern developments in the field. He pays particular attention to the role of brain imaging--especially functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)--in studying the mind-brain relationship. He argues that, despite the explosive growth of this new mode of research, there has been more hyperbole than critical analysis of what experimental outcomes really mean. With Mind and Brain, Uttal attempts a synoptic synthesis of this substantial body of scientific literature. Uttal considers psychological and behavioral concerns that can help guide the neuroscientific discussion; work done before the advent of imaging systems; and what brain imaging has brought to recent research. Cognitive neuroscience, Uttal argues, is truly both cognitive and neuroscientific. Both approaches are necessary and neither is sufficient to make sense of the greatest scientific issue of all: how the brain makes the mind.

Mind Myths shows that science can be entertaining and creative. Addressing various topics, this book counterbalances information derived from the media with a 'scientific view'. It contains contributions from experts around the world.