Cortical Function: a View from the Thalamus

Cortical Function: a View from the Thalamus PDF Author: V. A. Casagrande
Publisher: Gulf Professional Publishing
ISBN: 9780444516794
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 328

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Book Description
Almost all of the messages that are received by the cerebral cortex from the environment or from the body's internal receptors come through the thalamus and much current thought about perceptual processing is based on sensory pathways that relay in the thalamus. This volume focuses on three major areas: the role of thalamocortical communication in cognition and attention; the role of the thalamus in communication between cortical areas; the hypothesis that much or all of the information relayed by thalamus, even to classical, pure "sensory" areas of cortex, represents a corollary message being sent simultaneously to motor centers. It presents a broad overview of important recent advances in these areas. * Provides a look at brain structures involved in perception and action * Includes summaries by leading investigators in the field * Presents recent advances in our understanding of brain functions

Cortical Function: a View from the Thalamus

Cortical Function: a View from the Thalamus PDF Author: V. A. Casagrande
Publisher: Gulf Professional Publishing
ISBN: 9780444516794
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 328

Get Book Here

Book Description
Almost all of the messages that are received by the cerebral cortex from the environment or from the body's internal receptors come through the thalamus and much current thought about perceptual processing is based on sensory pathways that relay in the thalamus. This volume focuses on three major areas: the role of thalamocortical communication in cognition and attention; the role of the thalamus in communication between cortical areas; the hypothesis that much or all of the information relayed by thalamus, even to classical, pure "sensory" areas of cortex, represents a corollary message being sent simultaneously to motor centers. It presents a broad overview of important recent advances in these areas. * Provides a look at brain structures involved in perception and action * Includes summaries by leading investigators in the field * Presents recent advances in our understanding of brain functions

Associative Memory Cells: Basic Units of Memory Trace

Associative Memory Cells: Basic Units of Memory Trace PDF Author: Jin-Hui Wang
Publisher: Springer Nature
ISBN: 9811395012
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 281

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Book Description
This book focuses on associative memory cells and their working principles, which can be applied to associative memories and memory-relevant cognitions. Providing comprehensive diagrams, it presents the author's personal perspectives on pathology and therapeutic strategies for memory deficits in patients suffering from neurological diseases and psychiatric disorders. Associative learning is a common approach to acquire multiple associated signals, including knowledge, experiences and skills from natural environments or social interaction. The identification of the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying associative memory is important in furthering our understanding of the principles of memory formation and memory-relevant behaviors as well as in developing therapeutic strategies that enhance memory capacity in healthy individuals and improve memory deficit in patients suffering from neurological disease and psychiatric disorders. Although a series of hypotheses about neural substrates for associative memory has been proposed, numerous questions still need to be addressed, especially the basic units and their working principle in engrams and circuits specific for various memory patterns. This book summarizes the developments concerning associative memory cells reported in current and past literature, providing a valuable overview of the field for neuroscientists, psychologists and students.

The Claustrum

The Claustrum PDF Author: John R. Smythies
Publisher: Academic Press
ISBN: 012404722X
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 408

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Book Description
The present day is witnessing an explosion of our understanding of how the brain works at all levels, in which complexity is piled on complexity, and mechanisms of astonishing elegance are being continually discovered. This process is most developed in the major areas of the brain, such as the cortex, thalamus, and striatum. The Claustrum instead focuses on a small, remote, and, until recently, relatively unknown area of the brain. In recent years, researchers have come to believe that the claustrum is concerned with consciousness, a bold hypothesis supported by the claustrum's two-way connections with nearly every other region of the brain and its seeming involvement with multisensory integrations—the hallmark of consciousness. The claustrum, previously in a humble position at the back of the stage, might in fact be the conductor of the brain's orchestra. The Claustrum brings together leading experts on the claustrum from the varied disciplines of neuroscience, providing a state-of-the-art presentation of what is currently known about the claustrum, promising lines of current research (including epigenetics), and projections of new lines of investigation on the horizon. - Develops a unifying hypothesis about the claustrum's role in consciousness, as well as the integration of sensory information and other higher brain functions - Discusses the involvement of the claustrum with autism, schizophrenia, epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease - Coverage of all aspects of the claustrum, from its evolution and development to promising new lines of research, including epigenetics, provides a platform and point of reference for future investigative efforts

Rhythms of the Brain

Rhythms of the Brain PDF Author: G. Buzsáki
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0199828237
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 465

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Book Description
Studies of mechanisms in the brain that allow complicated things to happen in a coordinated fashion have produced some of the most spectacular discoveries in neuroscience. 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. It takes a fresh look at the coevolution of structure and function in the mammalian brain, illustrating how self-emerged oscillatory timing is the brain's fundamental organizer of neuronal information. The small-world-like connectivity of the cerebral cortex allows for global computation on multiple spatial and temporal scales. The perpetual interactions among the multiple network oscillators keep cortical systems in a highly sensitive "metastable" state and provide energy-efficient synchronizing mechanisms via weak links. 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.

Plasticity in the Adult Brain: From Genes to Neurotherapy

Plasticity in the Adult Brain: From Genes to Neurotherapy PDF Author: M.A. Hofman
Publisher: Elsevier
ISBN: 008049773X
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 497

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Book Description
In the past decade neuronal plasticity has become a major theme of modern neurobiology, from cellular and molecular mechanisms of synapse formation in worms and insects to behavioural recovery from strokes in elderly humans. For this reason the focus of interest in the present volume of Progress in Brain Research is on the topic of neuroplasticity in mature organisms, including humans. Contributions range from neurogenesis and synaptic plasticity in the adult primate brain, to neural mechanisms of learning and memory, and the influence of environmental factors and aging on the functional potential of the central nervous system. Several contributions focus on recent developments in neural regeneration and brain repair, providing challenging evidence that the use of stem cell neurotherapy may be beneficial to humans suffering from various neurological and psychiatric diseases. This volume integrates new information on the cellular and molecular mechanisms of neuroplasticity and highlights challenging future questions in this exciting and topical area of neuroscience.

Beyond Evolutionary Psychology

Beyond Evolutionary Psychology PDF Author: George Ellis
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1107053684
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 231

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Book Description
This book presents a compelling unifying theory of which aspects of the brain are innate and which are not.

Discovering the Brain

Discovering the Brain PDF Author: National Academy of Sciences
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309045290
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 195

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Book Description
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."

Micro-, Meso- and Macro-Dynamics of the Brain

Micro-, Meso- and Macro-Dynamics of the Brain PDF Author: György Buzsáki
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 3319288024
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 181

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Book Description
This book brings together leading investigators who represent various aspects of brain dynamics with the goal of presenting state-of-the-art current progress and address future developments. The individual chapters cover several fascinating facets of contemporary neuroscience from elementary computation of neurons, mesoscopic network oscillations, internally generated assembly sequences in the service of cognition, large-scale neuronal interactions within and across systems, the impact of sleep on cognition, memory, motor-sensory integration, spatial navigation, large-scale computation and consciousness. Each of these topics require appropriate levels of analyses with sufficiently high temporal and spatial resolution of neuronal activity in both local and global networks, supplemented by models and theories to explain how different levels of brain dynamics interact with each other and how the failure of such interactions results in neurologic and mental disease. While such complex questions cannot be answered exhaustively by a dozen or so chapters, this volume offers a nice synthesis of current thinking and work-in-progress on micro-, meso- and macro- dynamics of the brain.

Connectivity and Functional Specialization in the Brain

Connectivity and Functional Specialization in the Brain PDF Author: Thomas Heinbockel
Publisher: BoD – Books on Demand
ISBN: 1839627964
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 176

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Book Description
‘Connectivity and Functional Specialization in the Brain’ is a topic that describes nerve cells in terms of their anatomical and functional connections. The term connectome refers to a comprehensive map of neural connections, like a wiring diagram of an organism’s nervous system. Connectomics, the study of connectomes, can be applied to individual neurons and their synaptic connections, as well as to connections between neuronal populations or to functional and structural connectivity of different brain regions. This book addresses neural connectivity at these various scales in health and disease. The chapters review novel findings related to neuroanatomy and cell biology, neurophysiology, neural plasticity, changes of connectivity in neurological disorders, and sensory system connectivity. The book provides the reader with an overview of the current state-of-the-art of research of neural connectivity and focuses on the most important evidence-based developments in this area. Individual chapters focus on recent advances in specific areas of neural connectivity and in different brain regions. All chapters represent recent contributions to the rapidly developing field of neural connectivity.

Neural Plasticity and Disorders of the Nervous System

Neural Plasticity and Disorders of the Nervous System PDF Author: Aage R. Møller
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 9780521846677
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 414

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Book Description
This 2006 book describes how expression of neural plasticity can cause symptoms of disorder and disease instead of being beneficial.