The Brain A Very Short Introduction

Author : Michael O'Shea
Publisher : OUP Oxford
Page : 149 pages
File Size : 41,5 Mb
Release : 2005-12-08
Category : Medical
ISBN : 9780191578359

Get Book

The Brain: A Very Short Introduction by Michael O'Shea Pdf

How does the brain work? How different is a human brain from other creatures' brains? Is the human brain still evolving? In this fascinating book, Michael O'Shea provides a non-technical introduction to the main issues and findings in current brain research, and gives a sense of how neuroscience addresses questions about the relationship between the brain and the mind. Chapters tackle subjects such as brain processes, perception, memory, motor control and the causes of 'altered mental states'. A final section discusses possible future developments in neuroscience, touching on artificial intelligence, gene therapy, the importance of the Human Genome Project, drugs by design, and transplants. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Author : Jonathan K. Foster
Publisher : Oxford University Press
Page : 153 pages
File Size : 53,7 Mb
Release : 2009
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9780192806758

Get Book

Memory: A Very Short Introduction by Jonathan K. Foster Pdf

"Why can we sometimes remember events from our childhood as if they happened yesterday, but not what we did last week? How are memories stored in the brain, and how does our memory change as we age? What happens when our memory goes wrong, and how easy is it for others to manipulate our memories?" "This fascinating Very Short Introduction brings together the latest research in psychology and neuroscience to address these and many other important questions about the science of memory - revealing how our memory works, why we couldn't live without it, and even how we may learn to remember more."--BOOK JACKET.

Author : R. E. Passingham
Publisher : Oxford University Press
Page : 153 pages
File Size : 41,9 Mb
Release : 2016
Category : Cognitive neuroscience
ISBN : 9780198786221

Get Book

Cognitive Neuroscience by R. E. Passingham Pdf

This volume describes the new field of cognitive neuroscience - the study of what happens in the brain when we perceive, think, reason, remember, and act. Focusing on the human brain, Passingham looks at the most recent research in the field, the modern brain imaging technologies, and what the images can and can't tell us.

Author : Susan Blackmore
Publisher : Oxford University Press
Page : 169 pages
File Size : 51,8 Mb
Release : 2017
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9780198794738

Get Book

Consciousness by Susan Blackmore Pdf

Consciousness, the last great mystery for science, remains a hot topic. How can a physical brain create our experience of the world? What creates our identity? Do we really have free will? Could consciousness itself be an illusion? Exciting new developments in brain science are continuing the debates on these issues, and the field has now expanded to include biologists, neuroscientists, psychologists, and philosophers. This controversial book clarifies the potentially confusing arguments, and the major theories, whilst also outlining the amazing pace of discoveries in neuroscience. Covering areas such as the construction of self in the brain, mechanisms of attention, the neural correlates of consciousness, and the physiology of altered states of consciousness, Susan Blackmore highlights our latest findings. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Author : Michael O'Shea
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 128 pages
File Size : 42,7 Mb
Release : 2021
Category : Brain
ISBN : 1666122734

Get Book

The Brain by Michael O'Shea Pdf

Author : Kathleen Taylor
Publisher : Oxford University Press
Page : 177 pages
File Size : 47,9 Mb
Release : 2020-07-23
Category : Medical
ISBN : 9780192559807

Get Book

Dementia: A Very Short Introduction by Kathleen Taylor Pdf

As more of us live longer, the fear of an old age devastated by brain diseases like dementia is growing. Many people are already facing the challenges posed by these progressive and terminal conditions, whether in person or because they are caring for loved ones. Dementia is now the fifth most common cause of death across the world. It is small wonder that understanding, preventing, and finally curing these illnesses is now a global priority. Recent advances in brain research have given scientists a better chance than ever of finding ways to help patients, carers, and clinicians dealing with dementia. Yet there is still no effective treatment. Why has progress been so slow? And what can we all do to reduce our chances of getting the disease? In this Very Short Introduction Kathleen Taylor offers a guide to the science of dementia and brain ageing. Never forgetting the human costs of brain disorders - movingly illustrated throughout the book - she also discusses their costs to society. Clearly explaining the research, she sets out the main ideas which have driven dementia science, and the new contenders hoping to make a breakthrough. Taylor also looks at risk factors, and how to lower our chances of succumbing to dementia. Assessing current and potential treatments, including both drugs and other approaches, she explains, clearly and gently, what help is available for someone who is diagnosed with dementia, and how to boost the chances of living well with the condition. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Author : Richard Passingham
Publisher : Oxford University Press
Page : 144 pages
File Size : 55,9 Mb
Release : 2016-09-15
Category : Science
ISBN : 9780191089534

Get Book

Cognitive Neuroscience: A Very Short Introduction by Richard Passingham Pdf

Up to the 1960s, psychology was deeply under the influence of behaviourism, which focused on stimuli and responses, and regarded consideration of what may happen in the mind as unapproachable scientifically. This began to change with the devising of methods to try to tap into what was going on in the 'black box' of the mind, and the development of 'cognitive psychology'. With the study of patients who had suffered brain damage or injury to limited parts of the brain, outlines of brain components and processes began to take shape, and by the end of the 1970s, a new science, cognitive neuroscience, was born. But it was with the development of ways of accessing activation of the working brain using imaging techniques such as PET and fMRI that cognitive neuroscience came into its own, as a science cutting across psychology and neuroscience, with strong connections to philosophy of mind. Experiments involving subjects in scanners while doing various tasks, thinking, problem solving, and remembering are shedding light on the brain processes involved. The research is exciting and new, and often makes media headlines. But there is much misunderstanding about what brain imaging tells us, and the interpretation of studies on cognition. In this Very Short Introduction Richard Passingham, a distinguished cognitive neuroscientist, gives a provocative and exciting account of the nature and scope of this relatively new field, and the techniques available to us, focusing on investigation of the human brain. He explains what brain imaging shows, pointing out common misconceptions, and gives a brief overview of the different aspects of human cognition: perceiving, attending, remembering, reasoning, deciding, and acting. Passingham concludes with a discussion of the exciting advances that may lie ahead. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Author : J. Allan Hobson
Publisher : OUP Oxford
Page : 168 pages
File Size : 48,9 Mb
Release : 2005-04-21
Category : Psychology
ISBN : 9780191577604

Get Book

Dreaming: A Very Short Introduction by J. Allan Hobson Pdf

What is dreaming, and what causes it? Why are dreams so strange and why are they so hard to remember? Replacing dream mystique with modern dream science, J. Allan Hobson provides a new and increasingly complete picture of how dreaming is created by the brain. Focusing on dreaming to explain the mechanisms of sleep, this book explores how the new science of dreaming is affecting theories in psychoanalysis, and how it is helping our understanding of the causes of mental illness. J. Allan Hobson investigates his own dreams to illustrate and explain some of the fascinating discoveries of modern sleep science, while challenging some of the traditionally accepted theories about the meaning of dreams. He reveals how dreaming maintains and develops the mind, why we go crazy in our dreams in order to avoid doing so when we are awake, and why sleep is not just good for health but essential for life. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Author : John Parker,Richard (Honorary Professor of History Rathbone, University of Aberystwyth),Richard Rathbone
Publisher : Oxford University Press
Page : 185 pages
File Size : 50,9 Mb
Release : 2007-03-22
Category : History
ISBN : 9780192802484

Get Book

African History: A Very Short Introduction by John Parker,Richard (Honorary Professor of History Rathbone, University of Aberystwyth),Richard Rathbone Pdf

Intended for those interested in the African continent and the diversity of human history, this work looks at Africa's past and reflects on the changing ways it has been imagined and represented. It illustrates key themes in modern thinking about Africa's history with a range of historical examples.

Author : Gillian Butler,Freda McManus
Publisher : Oxford Paperbacks
Page : 205 pages
File Size : 48,6 Mb
Release : 2000-02-24
Category : Psychology
ISBN : 9780191606403

Get Book

Psychology: A Very Short Introduction by Gillian Butler,Freda McManus Pdf

Psychology is part of everyone's experience: it influences the way we think about everything from education and intelligence, to relationships and emotions, advertising and criminality. People readily behave as amateur psychologists, offering explanations for what people think, feel, and do. But what exactly are psychologists trying to do? What scientific grounding do they have for their approach? This book provides an understanding of some of psychology's leading ideas and their practical relevance, making it a stimulating introduction for anyone interested in understanding the human mind. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Author : Chris Frith,Eve C. Johnstone
Publisher : OUP Oxford
Page : 208 pages
File Size : 42,8 Mb
Release : 2003-05-22
Category : Psychology
ISBN : 9780191579233

Get Book

Schizophrenia: A Very Short Introduction by Chris Frith,Eve C. Johnstone Pdf

Schizophrenia is the archetypal form of madness. Schizophrenia is a common disorder and has a devastating effect on sufferers and their families-patients typically hear voices in their heads and hold bizarre beliefs. The schizophrenic patient presented to the public in sensational press reports and lurid films bears little resemblance to reality of the illness. This book describes what schizophrenia is really like, how the illness progresses, and the treatments that have been applied. It also summarizes the most up-to-date knowledge available about the biological bases of this disorder. Finally it attempts to give some idea of what it is like to have schizophrenia and what this disorder tells us about the relationship between mind and brain. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Author : Uta Frith
Publisher : Oxford University Press
Page : 145 pages
File Size : 44,7 Mb
Release : 2008-10-23
Category : Medical
ISBN : 9780199207565

Get Book

Autism: A Very Short Introduction by Uta Frith Pdf

"What is autism and Asperger syndrome? What are the core symptoms, and what causes them? How early can autism be recognised and what can be done? Why does autism seem to be more and more common? Are we all a little bit autistic?" "This Very Short Introduction offers a clear statement on what is currently known about autism and Asperger syndrome. Looking at symptoms from the full spectrum of autistic disorders, and evaluating current evidence from neuroscience and genetics, this authoritative and accessible book explores the source and nature of social impairment and exceptional talent. Autism: A Very Short Introduction gives a glimpse of life seen through the eyes of autism."--BOOK JACKET.

Author : Tim Bayne
Publisher : Oxford University Press
Page : 145 pages
File Size : 53,5 Mb
Release : 2013-01-31
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9780199601721

Get Book

Thought: A Very Short Introduction by Tim Bayne Pdf

"In this lively Very Short Introduction, Tim Bayne explores the nature of thought. Drawing on research from philosophy, psychology, neuroscience, and anthropology, he examines what we know--and what we don't know--about one of the defining features of human nature: our capacity for thought."--P. [2] of cover.

Author : Ian J. Deary
Publisher : Oxford University Press, USA
Page : 185 pages
File Size : 46,6 Mb
Release : 2020
Category : Psychology
ISBN : 9780198796206

Get Book

Intelligence by Ian J. Deary Pdf

Some people appear to be smarter than others, but how do we measure intelligence? Why do some people have better thinking powers than others? What does intelligence predict about people's health and social outcomes? This "Very Short Introduction" uses the best, large-scale psychological data to answer important questions about intelligence, such as how environment, genes, brain structure, gender, and age affect people's thinking skills. It asks whether intelligence increased over the 20th century. Ian Deary also considers the new field of cognitive epidemiology, which discovers links between higher intelligence and better health, lower rates of illness, and longer life. -- From publisher's description.

Author : Margaret J. Snowling
Publisher : Oxford University Press
Page : 144 pages
File Size : 44,8 Mb
Release : 2019-05-23
Category : Psychology
ISBN : 9780192550415

Get Book

Dyslexia: A Very Short Introduction by Margaret J. Snowling Pdf

Since dyslexia was first described in the British Medical Journal in 1896, there has been debate about the definitions and diagnostic procedures used, with some casting doubt on its very existence. However, there is now a considerable body of research regarding the nature and characteristics of this relatively common learning disorder. The contemporary view of dyslexia has emerged from a century of research in medicine, psychology and more recently neuroscience, and we now understand enough about this learning disorder to guide policy and practice. This Very Short Introduction provides an accessible overview of this exciting field of research, beginning with its history, and drawing on testimony from people living with dyslexia. Considering the potential causes of dyslexia, and looking at both genetic and environment factors, Margaret Snowling shows how cross-linguistic studies have documented the prevalence of dyslexia in different languages. Discussing the various brain scanning techniques that have been used to find out if the brains of people with dyslexia differ in structure or function from those of typical readers, Snowling moves on to weigh up various strategies and interventions which can help people living with dyslexia today. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.