This book fills the need for an introductory text that opens the field up to the beginner and takes them to higher-level thinking about neuroscience. Neuroscience has captured the interest of students, professionals, and the general public. In fact it is so new, that there are very few books that gather it together in one text. Neuroscience is an amalgamation of many fields: psychology, cognitive science, chemistry, biology, engineering, philosophy, mathematics, and statistics. People who are new to the discipline have to be able to find their way through all of these fields together. In addition, they need to understand the highly technical lexicon, modeling methods, and theoretical assumptions used to describe brain structure, function, and the interaction between them. This book helps readers navigate the conventions used to describe the brain that developed through the years. The authors crystallize the complex modeling methods and technologies so that readers understand what they are saying and how to use them. They address the important underlying principles and important issues of neuroscience, with the debates and discussions that are ongoing as the field evolves. They also include many salient fine-grained details so that the book is not just an overview, but also a useful guide for many levels of readers.
Author(s): C. Alexander Simpkins, Annellen M. Simpkins (auth.)
Edition: 1
Publisher: Springer-Verlag New York
Year: 2013
Language: English
Pages: 345
Tags: Clinical Psychology; Neurosciences; Cognitive Psychology; Neuropsychology
Front Matter....Pages i-xx
Front Matter....Pages 1-1
The Birth of a New Science....Pages 3-24
Unlocking the Key to Neuroscience Terminology....Pages 25-31
What is the Mind and Brain?....Pages 33-41
Front Matter....Pages 43-43
Learning from Brain Damaged Individuals....Pages 45-52
Neuroimaging Technologies....Pages 53-62
Modeling the Brain....Pages 63-73
Front Matter....Pages 75-75
Neurons and Neurotransmitters....Pages 77-91
Brain Structures....Pages 93-105
Brain Pathways....Pages 107-121
Neural Networks: How Neurons Think and Learn....Pages 123-137
Front Matter....Pages 139-140
Evolution of the Brain Over Eons of Time....Pages 141-150
Brain Development Through the Life Span....Pages 151-164
Neuroplasticity and Neurogenesis: Changing Moment-by-Moment....Pages 165-174
Front Matter....Pages 175-175
Principles for Incorporating the Brain into Treatments....Pages 177-183
Working with Attention....Pages 185-199
Regulating Emotions....Pages 201-218
Reconsolidating Memory....Pages 219-232
Maximizing the Social Brain....Pages 233-250
Front Matter....Pages 251-252
How Psychotherapy Changes the Brain....Pages 253-271
Relieving Anxiety....Pages 273-288
Front Matter....Pages 251-252
Finding a Better Balance for Depression and Bipolar Disorder....Pages 289-304
Recovering from Addiction....Pages 305-318
Back Matter....Pages 319-345
