Product Description
In the past two decades, there have been astonishing advances in our understanding of the neurobiological basis and nature of drug addiction. We now know the initial molecular sites of action, at identified receptors, of virtually all of the major drugs of abuse including cocaine, heroin, and amphetamine, as well as legal drugs such as nicotine and alcohol. We also understand the main components of a 'reward system' and its connections to major brain regions involved in motivation and emotion, such as the amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex.

The Neurobiology of Addiction describes the latest advances in our understanding of addiction.It brings together world class researchers to debate the nature and extent of addiction, as well as its causes, consequences, and treatment.The focus of the book is on the brain processes underlying addiction, in terms of neural systems, neurochemical basis, and molecular changes.Several types of addiction are discussed ranging from illicit drugs - cocaine, amphetamine, and heroin to legal drugs - alcohol and nicotine. In addition,it explores increasingly common behavioural addictions such as gambling and obesity. Included are chapters on vulnerability to addiction, genetic factors, opponent motivational processes, animal models, relapse, cognitive deficits associated with drug abuse, new pharmacological treatments, and currentcontroversies concerning different neuropsychological theories of addiction. Throughout, it reports on cutting edge research using brain imaging, and state of the art molecular methodology.

The book will make fascinating reading for students and teachers in the field of neuroscience, pharmacology and psychology, as well as experts in the field. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A good resource, but not quite what I expected.
I ordered this book thinking it was a brand new textbook on the topic of the neurobiology of addiction, based on the description provided by Amazon. Also, I was aware that there is another an excellent book with the same title which I currently own written by by Drs. George F. Koob and Michel Le Moal. However, this book by Robbins, Everitt and Nutt is actually compilation of review articles that appeared in an October 2008 issue of the journal "Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, B, Biological Sciences". This special issue of the journal contained the proceedings of a Royal Society Discussion meeting held on Feb. 25-26, 2008. This book is merely a hardbound compilation of the review articles that appeared in that issue of the journal. Many academic institutions may have free on-line access to this journal and thus the contents of this book. Those that don't can either purchase this book or the single issue of the journal via the journal's website (not sure of the cost, but likely less than the $82 I paid for this one). In addition, the cover of the book is not what is currently depicted. It is not a picture of a vast library with NIDA director Dr. Nora Volkow's name in the middle. It is a simple picture of a pair of hands, one holding a poker chip and the other a cigar, both resting on a table near a drink of alcohol and 5 playing cards (a royal straight flush, in fact). A faint grayscale diagram in the brain underlies the title of the book. Certainly this book contains informative reviews from highly regarded and established addiction researchers. However, I was disappointed that it was merely a compendium of review articles that I had previously had access to via my institutions subscription to the on-line version of the journal. ... Read more

Product Description

Our self-conception derives mostly from our own experience. We believe ourselves to be conscious, rational, social, ethical, language-using, political agents who possess free will. Yet we know we exist in a universe that consists of mindless, meaningless, unfree, nonrational, brute physical particles. How can we resolve the conflict between these two visions?

InFreedom and Neurobiology, the philosopher John Searle discusses the possibility of free will within the context of contemporary neurobiology. He begins by explaining the relationship between human reality and the more fundamental reality as described by physics and chemistry. Then he proposes a neurobiological resolution to the problem by demonstrating how various conceptions of free will have different consequences for the neurobiology of consciousness.

In the second half of the book, Searle applies his theory of social reality to the problem of political power, explaining the role of language in the formation of our political reality. The institutional structures that organize, empower, and regulate our lives-money, property, marriage, government-consist in the assignment and collective acceptance of certain statuses to objects and people. Whether it is the president of the United States, a twenty-dollar bill, or private property, these entities perform functions as determined by their status in our institutional reality. Searle focuses on the political powers that exist within these systems of status functions and the way in which language constitutes them.

Searle argues that consciousness and rationality are crucial to our existence and that they are the result of the biological evolution of our species. He addresses the problem of free will within the context of a neurobiological conception of consciousness and rationality, and he addresses the problem of political power within the context of this analysis.

A clear and concise contribution to the free-will debate and the study of cognition,Freedom and Neurobiology is essential reading for students and scholars of the philosophy of mind.

Customer Reviews (6)

Good short read.
In summary: Good read. Very short. Covers some interesting ground and best of all, poses interesting questions. Not very much neurobiology.

The only other complete work by Searle that I have read is "Mind: A brief introduction." This book is similar in style though much narrower in scope. His account of free will is the same as it was elsewhere; I am not sure about the short piece on political power. Both were notable mostly for how clearly they framed the questions and the issues to allow for further discussion, rather than providing definitive answers. The introduction was my favorite chapter as it outlined what Searle takes to be the most important questions in philosophy today and situates those questions in a very engaging (albeit brief) way. Overall it was an enjoyable book, though not nearly as comprehensive as his other works.

I might recommend this book to someone who is interested in the philosophy of free will or social institutions and wants an introduction to Searle's work that is longer (and less technical) than most journal articles, but shorter than most books.

Dense, Disappointing, and Interesting
This book is a dense and yet fast read. The final chapter deserves to be read several times.

Chapter one is Searle trying to give a brief encapsulation of the themes that he has treated elsewhere. Heavy going, but surprisingly rapid reading.

In chapter two, Searle wrestles with the implications of neurobiology for "free will." He finds that he cannot decisively state whether humans have free will or not. Assuming that consciousness is a function of the physical brain, composed of neurons, glial cells, etc, he argues that either there is no free will (even though we must believe there is) and everything we do is deterministic, or else free will comes via the randomness of quantum fluctuations.

This dichotomy was so bad that I seriously entertained the thought of writing the author and demanding my money back. I finished this chapter before bed and then awoke around 0500 in an absolute panic attack because I could not readily refute Searle. I do not see randomly dictated behavior as any better than predetermined behavior. Neither one is freedom.

As I wrestled with my panic, I realized that the horror of either of Searle's two options comes from having a "Me" with intent and desire, who is then denied the ability to realize any intent or desire by fate or by random chance.

I think that the drastically self-referential, non-linear nature of the brain makes an independent sense of "Me" possible w/o invoking some mystical split between mind and brain. I do not see that it is impossible for this sense of "Me" to develop its own preferences in a way that is neither random nor predetermined.

The final chapter truly made the book worthwhile. It consists of a brief essay on political power. Searle compares deontic power and status functions with the brute power imposed by force. He finds the notion of political power completely foreign to the physicist's notions of power.

What old people write when they no longer care about readers
My hope was that this book was a good philosopher, musing seriously over a host of recent results on how the mind is constituted and works from fMRI and other neurobiology studies. Instead I got a good philosopher doing vague musings without any basis in fact, continuing 16th century metaphysical musings as he wishes, without being constrained by fact, truth, how brains work, what social psych knows about social modules, mirror neurons, consciousness bundlings, and everything else exciting in what we know now about us-ness.

One star is too much.This book is cleverly mis-named by its editors to sell. Anyone interested in the name the book now actually has will be severely, severely disappointed in the book, at any price, however cheap.This book is a waste of space and increasingly it looks like its author is something similar.

Musings on Free Will
These essays are a low-voltage rehash of ideas set out in Searle's earlier books, where his one-mind concept of consciousness is set out much more lucidly. His musings on Free Will lack focus and clarity and the author ends up without taking a clear position on a topic where his brilliant philosophical studies should have allowed him to enlighten his readers.

Superficial
You'd expect a book with this title to actually have some neurobiology in it, but you'd be disappointed. This slim volume consists of two diffuse philosophical essays, one about free will, and the other about political power. Both are simplistic, in my view, and don't bring any new ideas to the table. The essay on free will was the most interesting, but despite the book's title, the author doesn't bring in any neurobiology. Instead he basically says that neurobiology should be involved, and possibly quantum mechanical randomness, because that's the only nondeterministic mechanism he can think of that might be related to the nondeterminism of free will. That particular idea is explored much more deeply in Roger Penrose's book "The Emperor's New Mind," which despite its flaws, is a much deeper and more solid book. ... Read more

Product Description
Drawing on cutting-edge neuroscience tobetter understand emotion.We are hardwired to connect with one another, and we connect through our emotions. Our brains, bodies, and minds are inseparable from the emotions that animate them.

Normal human development relies on the cultivation of relationships with others to form and nurture the self-regulatory circuits that enable emotion to enrich, rather than enslave, our lives. And just as emotionally traumatic events can tear apart the fabric of family and psyche, the emotions can become powerful catalysts for the transformations that are at the heart of the healing process.

In this book, the latest addition to the Norton Series on Interpersonal Neurobiology, leading neuroscientists, developmental psychologists, therapy researchers, and clinicians illuminate how to regulate emotion in a healthy way. A variety of emotions, both positive and negative, are examined in detail, drawing on both research and clinical observations. The role of emotion in bodily regulation, dyadic connection, marital communication, play, well-being, health, creativity, and social engagement is explored. The Healing Power of Emotion offers fresh, exciting, original, and groundbreaking work from the leading figures studying and working with emotion today.

Contributors include: Jaak Panksepp, Stephen W. Porges, Colwyn Trevarthen, Ed Tronick, Allan N. Schore, Daniel J. Siegel, Diana Fosha, Pat Ogden, Marion F. Solomon, Susan Johnson, and Dan Hughes. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

The Healing Power of Emotion:Affecetive Neuroscience,Development and Clinical Practice Norton Series on Interpersonal Neurobiolo
This is far and away the most integrated, substantiated,and thoughtful book I have read about human behavior in years. After DSM111 was introduced we as clinicians learned to look at a symptom in a clinical way. Sadly, many symptoms are shared between diagnostic catagories. We wanted something that would be clear, bridge the gap between the behaviorists, analysts, jungians and family systems. It was useful, especially to the insurance companiies but also clinicians who had to lookthoughtfully at the symptom picture. What I found lacking was the integration I find in The Healing Power of Emotions:Affective Neuroscience, Development and Clinican Practice. It emphasizes the interpersonal impact beautifully. It is extremely well written, each chapter striking a different tone but in its whole helps us look at people as they really are, complex, not a mere balance of letters and numbers. Itreads beautifully and each of the authors is well known and respected in their field. A real find! Its emphasis on attachment and emotion is critical as we look at people dealing with sexual abuse, trauma, and our troops coming home with a different persective. Our colleague group is taking one chapter at a time to discuss when we are finished with our 'emergent' clinical issues. Reading it together gives us other eyes to see through and makes for a tremendous session on critical thinking!Katharine A Lofgren, LICSW NH

Perfect for college-level health and psychology collections
A recommended pick is Diana Fosha, et.al.'s edited THE HEALING POWER OF EMOTION: AFFECTIVE NEUROSCIENCE, DEVELOPMENT AND CLINICAL PRACTICE, a survey of basic emotions and powers of the human mind and body and how they play roles in mental health and cultural health alike. Leading researchers and clinicians explore emotion and transformation in scholarly articles perfect for college-level health and psychology collections.

What a rich book!
Wow--what a rich book!However, don't expect to get through this book quickly (you won't want to) because it's chock-full of useful information.It is complete with up-to-date research presented by some of the most cutting edge scientists/clinicians.

While the book is written by eleven individuals (one person writes each chapter), it is both thorough and integrated.I can only imagine how much effort and intention it took to have the chapter's authors working with each other.Many authors refer to the other chapters' content within the book, which helps to pull it all together for the reader (e.g. if one author used a term that was different than another's, but represented a similar idea, the author tended to point this out).

The first six chapters of the book address the neuroscience and developmental aspects of emotion.While these chapters will be particularly dense for readers less familiar with neuroscience, each contained valuable, up-to-date information that is worth becoming familiar with.(I also refer readers to Norman Doidge's book on the brain, which is fascinating and easily digested.)The last five chapters focus on specific clinical applications, including individual, couples, and family work.These authors each gave beautiful excerpts of actual cases which bring to life the concepts addressed in the chapters.

I found the book to be an incredible presentation of understanding the concept of emotion and as the title states "the healing power of emotion".It's worth both reading and referring to for many years to come.

Delicious.
Review of The Healing Power of Emotion

If you are unacquainted with any of the authors of the chapters of this volume (or several of them), and have an interest in contemporary clinical neuroscience of emotion, stop reading this review, get--and read--this book.You really wont find a better group to discuss the nuances and perspectives on this topic. If you are on the fence, well-versed in the area, or interested in this book's overall treatment of the topic, read on.In the sprit of disclosure, I am writing as a practicing psychiatrist and psychotherapist already well-acquainted with the larger body of work of each of these authors before I read this book.I also enjoy reading reviews of books I have read, and this longer review--of both the book and the topic--is aimed at like-minded individuals.

Compendiums like "The Healing Power of Emotion" are like a sampler platter, helping the r-eater decide if she likes something enough to buy the entre the next time around. This sampler contains more than enough artfully prepared and nutritious morsels to justify its purchase.Essentially, this book contains a small sample of the writings of some of the preeminent researchers and clinicians on the science of emotion (affective neuroscience), it role in development (infant research), and working with it in several modes of therapy (individual, couples, and family systems). Novitiates to any of these authors will find these "bites" delectable; readers familiar with any of the author's primary works, though, may find few new tastes.Though each of the authors pepper their chapters with recent studies, and a few new ideas, their central themes remain the same.For example, from the dextrophilic Schore we hear about the right brain, from Panksepp the primacy of core affects and the import of cross-species research, from Siegel, a broad, synthetic theory-of-almost-everything (integration) and a profusion of acronyms.One should not expect these great authors and scientists to re-invent themselves anew with each iteration.But if you have read the primary works of any of them, you may want to devote your time to the newer chapters.Each of these prestigious, productive and polymath authors has written longer, more comprehensive works detailing their theories, ideas and views: if you are wondering which of these larger works invest in, I recommend the sampler as a nice representation of each of their writings.

Individually, each of the authors in this volume is a true pioneer, and brings something unique to the table.The writing is superb, and in many cases (i.e., Fosha's chapter), sublime.The editing is also artful: each author cross-references the others, and the prologue does a nice job of setting the table for the smorgasbord to follow.Each of the authors has a distinctive writing style and discreet area of interest which emerges in their individual chapters.It is clear, however, that each of them is aware of not only their work, but the work of the other authors in this volume and wider voices in both fields. This marbling and overlap adds nuance, integration, and depth to the book.There are few contemporary theoretical perspectives left out. A devoted reference-checker, I liked that the entire stock of references were consolidated and amassed at the end of the book

That said, I have several comments about the book that flow from two unrelated streams: the nature of the task taken up by the editors, and a stance as a skeptic on the most superficial reading of the book's overall theme: that "emotions heal".

To begin, the word "emotion" is a too-small word for a too-large world: a pubmed search using the keyword "emotion" yields 132,452 entries."Working with emotion in psychotherapy" is an amalgam of equally ambiguous terms.Even after reading the book, I have no more manageable definition for emotion than when I started.A fundamental problem then, one that runs through each chapter, is that they are about--and differently about--an underspecified, and perhaps unspecifiable term.This inherently means that a definitional sojourn feels like hamlet running through the woods after his father's ghost, who disappears after a brief conversation.Each of these authors strikes at this ghost with his partisan (the ever-mightier pen), each hits the mark. but the marks are different. This scattering of marks brings to mind Borge's apocryphal--and disjointed--division of animals, which includes: (a) those that belong to the Emperor, (b) embalmed ones, (c) those that are trained, (d) fabulous ones, (e) those that are included in this classification, (f) those drawn with a very fine camel's hair brush, (g) others. In this volume, emotions are variably defined as:(a) associated with survival, (b) associated with in the midbrain, vagus, subcortex, and cortex, as well as the body and viscera (c) "integration", (d) "change", (e) "movement", (f) "related to homeostasis", (g) "motivation", (h) "completion", (i) Fosha's felicitous "arc between a problem and its solution",(j) "beacons", (k) "furies to contend with",(l)"disruption".Everything and No-thing at once.

Seigel, both an author and editor in this work, has in the past made a suggestion to contend with this problem: that we chuck the term.This solution, though it has a pleasing economy, means we can't talk to each other and patients about this part of reality.His solution: the reduction to another part of speech (a verb) and to another term (integration) feels like a shell game.In the end, an effort to winnow this aspect of mammalian reality into a single word--or chapter--or book--is doomed to fail.This problem is recognized in the prologue which evolkes the proverbial palpated pachyderm. In the end, after all these experts weigh in, I still experience a quiet but nagging unrest that the ghost has escaped our grasp (though we certainly felt him).At the same time, though the he escaped our nets, this book gave us a grand hunting.

A second concern about the topic comes from my individual perspective of a practicing psychiatrist who has treats a wide variety of patients with brain-based problems.In this role, I cannot exorcise myself from an affliction of the specific: the devilish details of specific patients.Can a "focus on emotions" cast out these demons ?In some cases, perhaps, though it of course depends on what the term "emotions" and "focus on" means.Psychotherapy, another too-broad verbal brush, is not and cannot be a unitary enterprise, given the diversity of people and problems.For example, is a focus on emotions--specifically, or in general--the best way to address the schisms in schizophrenia, the cravings of substance abuse, the solipsism of autism, or the illogic of eating disorders ? Not always.Though the articulation of broad, generalist principles (i.e. coherence) is useful in a generic sense, its not always clear its application in relation to any specific condition.For example, a young patient of mine recently was struggling (and not struggling) with a "part of him that wanted to die".My erstwhile focus on his present feeling in the moment led to him to feel worse (we discovered after several sessions), whereas liberal, conscious use of distraction and mood-stabilizing medication was most salutary. In that the book only rarely mentions many of the specific clinical conditions that practitioners may encounter, it may leave some of us "possessed" by a myriad of specific problems looking for a practical, earthly deliverance.

A third general concern is that there is more passion and theory (albeit well-referenced) than data to support the premise that emotion heals here.Though Johnson cites data that her EFT has been demonstrated to be effective, I would have overall liked to see more empirical support: not that emotions are in general important, not that it feels right to be empathic and mindful, not that humans are wired for emotion, but that these stances and practices actually help people who sit in my waiting room.Though I support all of these general principles, and practice emotion- and attachment-focused therapy, the skeptic in me wanted a bit more light and less heat in this area.For example, take the painful, disabling, and common ailment major depressive disorder.Therapists and reasearchers alike see this in their patients, spouses, and friends, if prevalence data are to be believed.It is unclear, from a definitional standpoint, whether this condition is due to too much negative emotion (sadness, guilt, fear), too little positive (joy, interest, excitement), both, or something else. Outcome research in the ultimately emotion-focused short-term dynamic therapies (i.e. the many publications of Alan Abbass, and reviews of such)--and recent publications showing that in some cases CBT does as well as more emotion-focused therapies--are given short shrift.Though I choose to practice an emotion-focused therapy, as a scientist and researcher, I am all too aware of the massive database of randomized trials which shows that CBT is both cost-effective and in many cases better than medication, and that any single focus--on emotion, medication, or cognition--does not cover the waterfront of human suffering.

A final comment--from an entirely different half of the brain--involves the book's lack of visual vibrancy.Though it contains helpful line drawings, and some lovely vintage black-and-white photographs, in our visual age, color illustrations would have added a nice touch.If my children can watch an insanely vivid talking tomato and a believably dancing dog, certainly an illustrator could have tittilated my rods, cones and right brain a bit more.This is, after all, a book about blues moods, red rages, and white, wide-eyed fear. The reading is often dense, and a stimulating right-brain stimulating visual (as in Posner's "Images of Mind" or Matthew's "The Bard on the Brain") would have complemented the text, without diluting the scholarship.

In toto, and despite the broader concerns above, The Healing Power of Emotion is a sumptuous palate, and serves up a deftly-edited, well-arranged and masterfully-written smorgasbord of diverse tastes from the messy kitchen of emotion.Bon appétit.

If you can buy just one book - make it this one.
I loved this book.It is an extraordinary 5 star buffet of articles by cutting edge neurobiology researchers and psychotherapy clinicians, a who's who in the field.Both the articles on the brain and psychotherapy areconsumately well written, and clinical articles have great case illustrations. The psychotherapies described here are moving beyond exploration of pathologies to the transformative experiences where joy, new energy, and delight become possible; that and helping people regulate their dysregulated nervous system.This book is a weaving together of two disciplines that demonstrate what this new frontier looks like.If you have one book to buy --- make it this one.Judi Goodman,LICSW
Lexington, MA ... Read more

Product Description
This book presents a theory of how the psychology and neurobiology of stimulus appraisal influences the variability in second language acquisition. It then extends the notion of affect developed for second language acquisition to primary language acquisition and to cognition in general. Written by one of the leading scholars in the field, this book is an important research tool for students and professors of language studies and linguistics. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Enlightening Work!
Schumann's book is an illuminating work on second language acquisition. SLA is an area that has not received as much research as First Language Acquisition. Therefore, this work is important in that it brings to light the importance stimulus appraisal has on a person's ability to have sustained deep learning. Schumann does a work of a linguist, neurobiologist, and researcher in this book and provides a thorough read with scientific fact and a well written thesis. The book should be read by all with an interest in the mind and language. ... Read more

Product Description
The third volume of the Handbook of Anxiety reflects the renewed interest in the basis of anxiety and the search for a biochemistry of anxiety. While there have been biochemical/pharmacological studies since the early 1960s two events have contributed significantly to present investigations. The first was the discovery of specific benzodiazepine binding sites in the brain of vertebrate species, and the second the reclassification of anxiety states under DSM-III criteria and more recently DSM-III-R. Research in the area of the biology of anxiety has developed rapidly in the past decade; this volume summarizes some of these advances and hopefully points to new directions for further research. ... Read more

Product Description
It is often difficult to blend the knowledge from scientific research with the experience of clinical practice. This book does exactly that. By incorporating recent advances in biological sciences with the concept of aetiology and treatment of eating disorders, the editors have successfully produced an authoritative, state-of-the-art text. The internationally renowned authors suggest ways of integrating the latest findings within a treatment setting. Topics covered include: • Phenomenology • Measurement of Psychopathology • Stress, Neurobiology and Eating • Eating Behaviour and Weight Control • Emotional States and Bulimic Psychopathology • Neuroimaging • Treatment of Anorexia Nervosa • Treatment of Binge Eating Disorder • Pharmacotherapy • Nutritional Management • Medical Complications. This book will be of value to all psychiatrists, psychologists, psychopharmacologists and clinical neuroscientists.

From pre-publication reviews: "This book provides a masterly synthesis of the basic and the clinical, in a form that should prove useful to both practicing clinicians and researchers in the field. I know of no other book of comparable scope that has attempted so successfully this integration." James E. Mitchell Professor and Chairman, Department of Neurosciences, UND, Fargo, USA "Neurobiology in the Treatment of Eating Disorders is a major achievement and I predict that it will become an instant classic." Ruth Striegel-Moore Professor and Chair, Department of Psychology, Wesleyan University, CT, USA "A significant addition to the literature on eating disorders. This book is notable for its depth and breadth, the emphasis on neurobiology being particularly distinctive and welcome. It deserves to be widely read." Christopher Fairburn Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford UK "I found this book absolutely outstanding and was very pleased to read it. This invaluable and authoritative overview represents an outstanding reference for the study of the three major disorders of eating behaviour. This book represents an extraordinary background for future developments of neurobiological and genetic investigations, clinical applications, epidemiological studies; therapeutic approaches and prevention programs." Francesca Brambilla Professor, Department of Neuropsychiatric Sciences, H. S. Raffaele, Milan, Italy ... Read more

Product Description
Choice Outstanding Academic Title, 2007.

Research shows that between birth and early adulthood the brain requires sensory stimulation to develop physically. The nature of the stimulation shapes the connections among neurons that create the neuronal networks necessary for thought and behavior. By changing the cultural environment, each generation shapes the brains of the next. By early adulthood, the neuroplasticity of the brain is greatly reduced, and this leads to a fundamental shift in the relationship between the individual and the environment: during the first part of life, the brain and mind shape themselves to the major recurring features of their environment; by early adulthood, the individual attempts to make the environment conform to the established internal structures of the brain and mind.

In Brain and Culture, Bruce Wexler explores the social implications of the close and changing neurobiological relationship between the individual and the environment, with particular attention to the difficulties individuals face in adulthood when the environment changes beyond their ability to maintain the fit between existing internal structure and external reality. These difficulties are evident in bereavement, the meeting of different cultures, the experience of immigrants (in which children of immigrant families are more successful than their parents at the necessary internal transformations), and the phenomenon of interethnic violence.

Integrating recent neurobiological research with major experimental findings in cognitive and developmental psychology—with illuminating references to psychoanalysis, literature, anthropology, history, and politics—Wexler presents a wealth of detail to support his arguments. The groundbreaking connections he makes allow for reconceptualization of the effect of cultural change on the brain and provide a new biological base from which to consider such social issues as "culture wars" and ethnic violence. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

A neurological underpinning of sociology
Wow!The research described here by author Wexler really explains some fundamental aspects of human behavior.I should note that this is not the only book out there on this subject, but most of this material hasn't yet made it to the popular press, and so most people, even academics, are likely as unaware of it as I was.

Essentially, Prof. Wexler notes that human beings go through a lifelong process of matching our internal representation of the world to what the real world is actually like. When we're very young, this process consists largely of neural pathways in the brain developing according to sensory input.(Neuro-plasticity.)An extreme example of this is someone blind at birth who never develops the brain functions to process visual input, or the visual memory to retain that input.As babies get most of their sensory input from their parents, and particularly their mothers, the particular culture of the mother actually affects brain development.

As we get older, our neural plasticity decreases, i.e., our ability to learn new things, so this internal representation becomes harder and harder to change.But we're still trying to match internal and external, and so we shift to making the real world look like what we think it should be. And if we can't do that, then we interpret the real world in a way that makes "sense" to us.From this we get popular expressions like "we see what we want to see".Or, as a sociologist would put it, we see what we've been socialized to see.

Anything that doesn't fit our conception of the world takes us out of our comfort zone.For instance, immigrants to the US, entering an environment that may be vastly different than the one they're comfortable with, will try to create their own little corner of their old world in the new one.

"Brain and Culture" reports extensively on neurological and psychological research in this area -- and explains it well, without getting overly technical.Plus it offers some interesting historical examples of the meeting of cultures.While Prof Wexler is careful to say that neurobiology is far from the only thing underpinning human behavior, it becomes clear that this book is a huge help in explaining the conflicts among cultures and belief systems.

Why we try so hard to make everybody be just like us
This book makes a deep examination of the fundamental social, political, religious, and personal issue of why we try so hard to make others think like us. It has huge implications for interactions between different races and cultures, Muslims, Christians and atheists, and between McCain and Obama supporters.

Wexler starts off the painstaking development of his arguments by outlining the need of the brain for stimulation in order to develop properly, echoing Norman Doidge in his The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science (James H. Silberman Books), the book through which I learned about this volume. Wexler describes in concrete terms how parents guide children to be functioning humans, and to be much like they are. He addresses groupthink, how we are influenced by others, and how the plasticity we enjoy as children is sharply reduced after we enter adulthood. He also points out how we tend to like things simply because they are familiar. Changes in our worlds, such as the death of a family member, or moving to a new culture, seriously challenge our ability to adjust and cope. This all leads up to an exposition on how we try to change the world when we find it is not in line with our personal internal reality. This for me was the most revealing and useful concept I took away from this book.

This book's one major drawback for me was its dry academic style. Like in many such works, this is certainly due to a conscious effort to appear and be rigorous, but it made this book really difficult to get through, in spite of my deep interest in what it had to say. I did however finally manage to finish it, and am very glad I did. I recommend the book highly if you have a bit of patience and are interested in exploring some of our most basic inner workings, and perhaps in being better able to step back a bit and apply an increased understanding of the neurological and psychological basis of our own and others' motivations in everyday interactions, especially when everyone seems to be getting incurably mulish about pushing through their version of the ways things "just are" or "have to be".

Courageous Insights Relevant to Every One of Us
The study of psychology has traveled down some interesting roads during the last century. After the long flirtation with the fascinating but flawed theories of psychoanalysis, a dominant theme became the idea that humans were no more than programmable robots. By way of a dozen detours, we then arrived at a new type of robot, one that was pre-programmed by his or her genes with environment contributing a little or a lot, depending upon our own beliefs about human nature. For that was always one of the problems: beliefs, biases and politics all played with the findings of psychology and neurology. For the totalitarian state, the idea that all people are born biologically equal and that, with the right prodding, they could be guided to be good citizens, became an article of faith in some parts of the world. Research, often only half understood, lead to grotesque attempts at social engineering.

Now the pendulum has swung again. Genes do not so much determine our behavior but influence our responses to the environment. During childhood our brains are incredibly plastic. The developing brain requires the right mix of nutrients, sensory, emotional and intellectual stimulation to realize its potential. The lion's share of higher cortical functions are dedicated to social functioning, and children first learn to develop in order to learn the social rules that help them to conform. During adolescence and early adulthood, this conformity is usually replaced by increasing individuality and drives to leave the parental nest. This leads to gradual attempts to shape the environment to fit with the structure of his or her brain and mind. Yet some plasticity remains throughout life, and we are likely able to create new neural connections and even new neurons into old age. And these new neurons and connections develop not only in response to the external environment, but also in response to our thoughts and emotions.

To these three findings - that genes predispose but do not determine; that our brains are malleable and plastic throughout life and third, the impact of our thoughts and beliefs on our brains - we can now add a fourth: the interplay of culture and society on our minds and genes, and the effects of our minds and genes on society.

This is one of a number of recent books that has begun to explore these important themes. Our genes lead - but do not force - us to create our world, and the world that we create has a powerful impact on the development of the next generation, who in turn create the world in their image.

Bruce Wexler is a Professor of Psychiatry at Yale and also directs the Neurocognitive Research Laboratory at the Connecticut Mental Health Center. He has been known for years as one of the most original and creative thinkers in his field. It shows in this book. It is just over 300 small pages and is crammed full of interesting ideas. The book is divided into two sections and five chapters:

Section I: Background: Some Basic Facts about the Human Brain
I. Transgenerational Shaping of Human Brain Function
2. Effects of Sensory Deprivation and Sensory Enrichment on Brain Structure and Function
3. Effects of the Social Environment on Brain Structure and Function

Section II. The Neurobiology of Ideology
4. Self-Preservation and the Difficulty of Change in Adulthood
5. The Meeting of Cultures
After which there is an Epilogue, References and an Index.

Bruce offers a neurologically based hypothesis that may go some way toward explaining some of the sectarian strife that has plagued so much of the world throughout history. He talks about the "neurobiology of ideology," to capture the process by which the human brain molds itself to its environment. Input from the world around us helps fashion our brains, and we in turn shape the world around us, which again shapes and changes the brain, leading to an endless dance between the brain, the mind and society.

This model helps to explain why it is that early life experiences can make it difficult to deal with unfamiliar events, emotions and situations later in life. But the argument also has a small hole in it. The author is an expert in human pathology, so he is interested in the way in which, say, "programming" in childhood may create problems later in life, as the individual encounters new challenges for which he or she is not prepared. As an example, if we think about an individual who was abused in childhood, he or she may have problems accepting and trusting a loving relationship as an adult. The disparity between the new environment and the developed brain may become a potent cause of distress and dysfunction. But that fails to answer another question: why do some people and some societies become distressed by novelty, while others delight in it?

This is an important, fascinating and thought provoking book that may provide answers to some of the problems that we see around us. We just need two more things: proof of his hypotheses and a way of using the model. That being said this work is already changing the way in which we see ourselves, not as the victims or beneficiaries of our genes, but as participants and co-creators of society and ourselves.

Highly recommended.

How do we overcome childhood inculcation?
I purchased Wexler's new book to further my understanding of the process thru which a person sheds obsolete religious beliefs -- such as those that were inculcated in childhood -- and then adapts present-day, non-theistic beliefs such as those described in my book "Concepts: A ProtoTheist Quest for Science-Minded Skeptics." I was hoping for a neurobiological elaboration of MD Faber's "The Psychological Roots of Religious Belief" (see my Amazon review of it) but I was only partially gratified.

After a brief description of the human brain, Wexler distinguishes two phases in the development of a person's brain (in my words, not his): In childhood the `seedling' neurons are searching out stimuli that `feed' their growth; what they obtain is how their brain gets `wired' ("our brain is what it eats"). As adults, this `wiring' not only influences what their brain looks for (gestalt) but how it interprets what it finds (projection); we try to reinforce what we learned as children and to adapt our environment to conform to our expectations. What doesn't conform to our mindset is routinely ignored or rejected. So as adults, one has to very deliberately maintain an open-mind to consider ideas that don't conform to one's early mindset, and the more the ideas stretch our mindset, the greater our tendency to reject them. Wexler elaborates extensively on this process citing research to back-up his contentions and examples of the consequences.

What Wexler doesn't elaborate to my satisfaction is how one overcomes the beliefs inculcated in childhood to achieve an unbiased understanding of today's world -- how one `rewires' their brain which can be an arduous process. Better yet would be ways of perpetuating the youthful growth of neurons into adult years to the extent possible (he alludes briefly to this on pages 242-3). He aptly describes immigrants' disorientation even as their children have an easier time adapting. And he describes how the loss of a spouse takes a year or so to accommodate. But he doesn't go into how today's media are affecting our openness to new ideas and other cultures. So I can recommend Wexler's book as a good introduction to the process but I'll have to keep looking for ways folks can let go of obsolete religious beliefs and replace them with an up-to-date ideology.

In Wexler's final chapter he discusses how indigenous and national cultures are being overwhelmed and extinguished by the global reach of the US's culture. But the rapid advances in today's technology are not entirely the doings of the US -- Europe, Japan, Australia and even India and China are encouraging this inevitable juggernaut (as he calls it) while Islamic cultures are resisting, often violently. To avoid violent confrontations he envisions a campus-like model (he's at Yale) where individuals can be exposed to unfamiliar cultures in least threatening ways. Wexler's book is well worth while but its overprice will discourage sales.
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This volume of International Review of Neurobiology defines primary biochemical causation of diabetic complications, identifies cellular glucose transducers, balancing roles of protein kinase C and MAP kinases, and sets in context the role of apoptosis and the interactive roles of neurons and Schwann cells. It also defines the cell biology of autonomic neuropathy, considers the balanced needs of science, clinical practice, and economics in clinical trial design, provides the definitive evaluation of aldose reductase inhibitors, and explains the failure of nerve growth factor.

One of the most successful series in the field of neuroscience continues its standard of excellence with this newest edition. Published since 1959, International Review of Neurobiology is a well-known series appealing to neuroscientists, clinicians, psychologists, physiologists, and pharmacologists. ... Read more

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The study of the mechanisms by which diseases alter the function of the nervous system was once well described by the appellation "Neurological Pathophysiology," the title of the previous editions of this book.But when disciplines as diverse as molecular genetics and radiation biophysics converge on the analysis of the nervous system and its disorders, a title with broader meaning is required to encompass them.The change in the book's title reflects a change in its scope, as it includes much more information on functional and anatomical systems than the early editions. New to this edition are three chapters on Memory, Genetic Disorders, and Brain Tumors.Infections are given more extensive treatment, the original chapter being divided into two, the first on bacteria, fungi and parasites, the second on viruses.All other chapters have been updated. For medical students and physicians it offers an introduction to the scientific basis of clinical neurology--the framework on which diagnosis and treatment are based. For graduate students and scientists in the field of neurobiology, it describes the expression of fundamental mechanisms gone awry, and provides clues for elucidating those mechanisms. ... Read more

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Neuroscience involves the study of the nervous system, and its topics range from genetics to inferential reasoning. At its heart, however, lies a search for understanding how the environment affects the nervous system and how the nervous system, in turn, empowers us to interact with and alter our environment. This empowerment requires motor learning. The Computational Neurobiology of Reaching and Pointing addresses the neural mechanisms of one important form of motor learning. The authors integrate material from the computational, behavioral, and neural sciences of motor control that is not available in any other single source. The result is a unified, comprehensive model of reaching and pointing. The book is intended to be used as a text by graduate students in both neuroscience and bioengineering and as a reference source by experts in neuroscience, robotics, and other disciplines.

The book begins with an overview of the evolution, anatomy, and physiology of the motor system, including the mechanisms for generating force and maintaining limb stability. The sections that follow, "Computing Locations and Displacements," "Skills, Adaptations, and Trajectories," and "Predictions, Decisions, and Flexibility," present a theory of sensorially guided reaching and pointing that evolves organically based on computational principles rather than a traditional structure-by-structure approach. The book also includes five appendixes that provide brief refreshers on fundamentals of biology, mathematics, physics, and neurophysiology, as well as a glossary of relevant terms. The authors have also made supplemental materials available on the Internet. These web documents provide source code for simulations, step-by-step derivations of certain mathematical formulations, and expanded explanations of some concepts. ... Read more

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Must-read for new neuroscience grads in motor control
If you starts to study in neuroscience, and are interested in motor control or computational neuroscience, this book will give you insight about most prominent researches in these area by 2004, and guide you where/how to start your own research. It will certainly help you to shorten your PhD study. :)

Dr. Shadmehr is one of the frontiers in motor control area, and his lab has been training a lot of promising neuroscientists. ... Read more

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This book constitutes a timely contribution to the existing literature by presenting a relatively comprehensive, neurobiological account of certain aspects of second language acquisition. It represents the collaborative efforts of members of the Neurobiology of Language Research Group in the Applied Linguistics and TESL Department at UCLA. Members of the group are trained in neurobiology and then use this knowledge to develop biological accounts of various aspects of applied linguistics.

The volume avoids the corticocentric bias that characterizes many brain-language publications—both cortical and subcortical structures receive their appropriate attention. In addition, it demonstrates that enough is presently known about the brain to inform our conceptualizations of how humans acquire second languages, thus, it provides a refreshingly novel, highly integrative contribution to the (second) language acquisition literature.

The goal of the research program was based on the need to draw more links between the neurobiological mechanisms and second language acquisition. As such, the book promotes a neurobiology of language that starts with the brain and moves to behavior. The fundamental insights presented should guide second language acquisition researchers for years to come. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

out standing text
The authors provide a remarkable clear explanation of the executive and attentional control systems from a global brain paradigm.Inadvertently explaining ADHD with up-to-date neurobiological science, the acquisition of a second language has many parallels to AHDH.The book leave's aside the out-dated neuroscience of "attention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity" for newer and more accurate data in explaining ADHD biology.SLA also matches the learning of compensatory strategies used in treating ADHD and other similar impairments.

Great subject, not so great research
This is a fantastic subject to write a book about.Unfortunately, much of the research it uses is out of date and no longer applies.It also is very one-sided.The authors seem to have formed their own conclusions and found research to support them, without taking into consideration all the research that contradicts these conclusions. This wouldn't be such a bad thing if it weren't that they are stating these conclusions as fact instead of point of view.

This is still a reasonably decent reference as it's difficult to find such a broad collection of research on this one narrow subject.It's just very misleading to any reader who has not done any previous studying of neurobiology. ... Read more

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The first edition of Neurobiology of Learning and Memory was published in 1998 to rave reviews. As before, this second edition will discuss anatomy, development, systems, and models though the organization and content is substantially changed reflecting advances in the field.

Including information from both animal and human studies, this book represents an up-to-date review of the most important concepts associated with the basic mechanism that support learning and memory, theoretical developments, use of computational models, and application to real world problems.

The emphasis of each chapter will be the presentation of cutting-edge research on the topic, the development of a theoretical perspective, and providing an outline that will aid a student in understanding the most important concepts presented in the chapter.

*New material covers basal ganglia, cerebellum, prefrontal cortex, and fear conditioning
*Additional information available on applied issues (i.e., degenerative disease, aging, and enhancement of memory)
*Each chapter includes an outline to assist student understanding of challenging concepts
*Four-color illustrations throughout ... Read more

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In addition to filling a need within the field of parental behavior, this book contributes importantly to the growing area of emotional and motivational neuroscience. A major part of neuroscience research at the whole organism level has been focused on cognitive neuroscience, with an emphasis on the neurobiology of learning and memory, but there has been a recent upsurge in research which is attempting to define the neural basis of basic motivational and emotional systems which regulate such behaviors as food intake, aggression, reproduction, reward-seeking behaviors, and anxiety-related behaviors. In this book the emphasis is on the research findings obtained from rodents, sheep and primates. The authors' goal, of course, was to provide a foundation that may help us understand the neurobiology of human parental behavior. Indeed, the last chapter attempts to integrate the non-human research data with some human data in order to make some inroads toward an understanding of postpartum depression, child abuse, and child neglect. Clearly, motivational and emotional neuroscience has close ties to psychiatry, and this connection will be very evident in the final chapter. By understanding the neurobiology of parental behavior we are also delving into neurobiological factors which may have an impact on core human characteristics involved in sociality, social attachment, nurturing behavior, and love. In this very violent world, it is hard to conceive of a group of characteristics that are more worthy of study. ... Read more

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Comprehensive Overview of Advances in Olfaction

The common belief is that human smell perception is much reduced compared with other mammals, so that whatever abilities are uncovered and investigated in animal research would have little significance for humans. However, new evidence from a variety of sources indicates this traditional view is likely overly simplistic.

The Neurobiology of Olfaction provides a thorough analysis of the state-of-the-science in olfactory knowledge and research, reflecting the growing interest in the field. Authors from some of the most respected laboratories in the world explore various aspects of olfaction, including genetics, behavior, olfactory systems, odorant receptors, odor coding, and cortical activity.

Until recently, almost all animal research in olfaction was carried out on orthonasal olfaction (inhalation). It is only in recent years, especially in human flavor research, that evidence has begun to be obtained regarding the importance of retronasal olfaction (exhalation). These studies are beginning to demonstrate that retronasal smell plays a large role to play in human behavior.

Highlighting common principles among various species – including humans, insects, Xenopus laevis (African frog), and Caenorhabditis elegans (nematodes) – this highly interdisciplinary book contains chapters about the most recent discoveries in odor coding from the olfactory epithelium to cortical centers. It also covers neurogenesis in the olfactory epithelium and olfactory bulb. Each subject-specific chapter is written by a top researcher in the field and provides an extensive list of reviews and original articles for students and scientists interested in further readings.

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This article is in two parts. The first part discusses neurobiology and child development and the second part covers trauma and child development. Both provide information on what children need from adults in order to thrive in good times and difficult times.

Topics covered include common childhood neurological conditions such as autism, ADHD, and fetal alcohol effects, self-regulation, and the role of secure attachments in optimal child neurological development and in helping children cope with trauma.

This is a chapter from The NEATS: A Child & Family Assessment, which is available on Amazon Kindle, scribd.com/professorjane, & stores.lulu.com/jgilgun as a download and at stores.lulu.com/jgilgun as a paperback. ... Read more

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Latest Research in Readable Form
New understandings of how the brain works are important for parents, educators, and social service providers to know. This article presents the latest research on brain development, trauma, and child development in readable form.The article is based on the most recent research. ... Read more

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The rapid growth of the study of apoptosis-mechanism-driven, regulated cell death-has created an urgent need for reliable documentation of the different approaches to and methods of studying the various aspects of the field. Apoptosis in Neurobiology is an important resource for researchers in this emerging frontier of biomedical study. This volume allows the uninitiated neuroscientist intellectual and practical access to the study of apoptosis, with special consideration to the nervous system. The first section concentrates on conceptual approaches to the study of apoptosis in neurobiology and its significance to the nervous system. The second section provides a user-friendly approach to methods and techniques in the study of apoptosis as applied to neurobiology. ... Read more

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The practice and science of feeling our movements, sensations, and emotions.Embodied self-awareness is the practice and science of our ability to feel ourmovements, sensations, and emotions. As infants, before we can speak orconceptualize, we learn to move toward what makes us feel good and awayfrom what makes us feel bad. Our ability to continue to develop and cultivateawareness of such body-based feelings and understanding is essential forlearning how to successfully navigate in the physical and social world, as wellas for avoiding injury and stress. Embodied self-awareness is made possibleby neuromotor and neurohormonal pathways between the brain and the restof the body, pathways that serve the function of using information about bodystate to maintain optimal health and well being. When these pathways becomecompromised, primarily as a result of physical injury or psychological stress andtrauma, we lose our ability to monitor and regulate our basic body functions.This book explains the neurological basis of embodied self-awareness, how toenhance self-awareness, and how to regain it after injury or trauma. ... Read more

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Great Supplement for Body-Oriented Therapists
I found this a great read in all with a few minor faults.
For one, I am excited to find a work like this that very clearly demonstrates that body-oriented self awareness carries just as much validity for well-being as the dominant top-down approachs. I have been unsatisfied with the older body-oriented therapies I have come across. Too many past attempts at body-oriented therapies have been based on acting out, old esoteric mystical energies, or pseudoscience. (not that I'm opposed to energy work completely). Fogel takes us through the nature of the human body as a complex, intelligent system. Not that tired old philosophy of this "brother ass" carrying around our great frontal lobes. As if that is the only intelligent aspect to a human.
This also helped me reinforce much of the biopsychology I have learned in my psychology degree.
The downside is that certain words get repetative, such as "interoceptive-emotional subjective present." There is also a sort of a lack of tying it together. But this book is more of a primer for the study of body-oriented work/therapy.
And moving therapies are interesting, but I have found subjectively, that many of us psychological types like me, who are always in our heads, can master using our bodies, without fully feeling and associating with your felt sense. So I'm a bit more excited about the affective, and experiential therapies I am finding out there. Such as AEDP.

Blends in research with applied therapy and offers insights on alternative medical practices
Alan Fogel's THE PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGY OF SELF-AWARENESS: REDISCOVERING THE LOST ART OF BODY SENSE tells of how an awareness of senses is lost as one ages, whether it be due to technology or ignoring physical sensations in favor of mental processes. This explains the neurological, anatomical and psychophysiological sources of embodied self-awareness for clinicians and therapists who would understand these sensations. It uses recent research in developmental neuropsychology and biology, blends in research with applied therapy and offers insights on alternative medical practices.

outstanding
Alan Fogel is that rare combination, a deeply informed scientist and a clear, compassionate writer for the general reader. I bought the book for my adult son who has mild Tourette's, OCD and ADD. But its chapters will illuminate and improve the lives of men, women, and children who suffer from tension, soreness, or general anxiety; or merely provide a good read for anyone with a philosophic interest in body/mind/soul. ... Read more

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Criminological theory dating back one hundred years has beenaware of the need to develop a neurobiology of extroversion,impulsivity, frontal-lobe dysfunction, and aggressive behavior, yet inthe twentieth century criminologists have largely forsaken thispsychobiological legacy.
The Neurobiology of Criminal Behavior looks at this legacy withreference to a variety of neurobiological methodologies currently invogue. The authors are all distinguished researchers who havecontributed considerably to their respective fields of psychiatry,psychology, psychobiology, and neuroscience. ... Read more

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In 1993, the genetic mutation responsible for Huntington’s disease (HD) was identified. Considered a milestone in human genomics, this discovery has led to nearly two decades of remarkable progress that has greatly increased our knowledge of HD, and documented an unexpectedly large and diverse range of biochemical and genetic perturbations that seem to result directly from the expression of the mutant huntingtin gene.

Neurobiology of Huntington’s Disease: Applications to Drug Discovery presents a thorough review of the issues surrounding drug discovery and development for the treatment of this paradigmatic neurodegenerative disease. Drawing on the expertise of key researchers in the field, the book discusses the basic neurobiology of Huntington’s disease and how its monogenic nature confers enormous practical advantages for translational research, including the creation of robust experimental tools, models, and assays to facilitate discovery and validation of molecular targets and drug candidates for HD. Written to support future basic research as well as drug development efforts, this volume:

• Covers the latest research approaches in genetics, genomics, and proteomics, including high-throughput and high-content screening
• Highlights advances in the discovery and development of new drug therapies for neurodegenerative disorders
• Examines the practical realities of preclinical testing, clinical testing strategies, and, ultimately, clinical usage

While the development of effective drug treatments for Huntington's disease continues to be tremendously challenging, a highly interactive and cooperative community of researchers and clinical investigators now brings us to the threshold of potential breakthroughs in the quest for therapeutic agents. The impressive array of drug discovery resources outlined in the text holds much promise for treating this devastating disease, providing hope to long-suffering Huntington’s disease patients and their families.