The Human Brain And Spinal Cord

The Human Brain and Spinal Cord

This book was written to serve both as a guide for the dissection of the human brain and as an illustrated compendium of the functional anatomy of the brain and spinal cord. In this sense, the book represents an updated and expanded version of the book The Human Brain and Spinal Cord written by the author and published in Swedish by Scandinavian University Books in 1961. The complicated anatomy of the brain can often be more easily appreciated and understood in relation to its development. Some insight about the coverings of the brain will also make the brain dissections more meaningful. Introductory chapters on these subjects constitute Part I of the book. Part 2 is composed of the dissection guide, in which text and illustrations are juxtaposed as much as possible in order to facilitate the use of the book in the dissection room. The method of dissection is similar to dissection proce dures used in many medical schools throughout the world, and variations of the technique have been published by several authors including Ivar Broman in the "Manniskohjarnan" (The Human Brain) published by Gleerups F6rlag, Lund, 1926, and Laszlo Komaromy in "Dissection of the Brain," published by Akademiai Kiado, Budapest, 1947. The great popularity of the CT scanner justifies an extra laboratory session for the comparison of nearly horizontal brain sections with matching CT scans.

The Human Brain and Spinal Cord

Discovering the Brain

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."