A Portrait of the Brain

In this compelling book, neurologist Adam Zeman tells the stories of patients with a variety of neurological disorders, some familiar (epilepsy, chronic fatigue, stroke, memory loss) and others relatively mysterious (narcolepsy, chronic deja vu, compulsive fidgeting, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease). Chapter by chapter, the author reveals the various levels of the brain, from the atom to the mind, and explores what happens when workings at each level go awry. Zeman requires of his readers no special knowledge of medicine or science, yet he takes us to the very frontiers of current scientific knowledge and elucidates the workings of the brain in astonishing detail. The book weaves together fascinating case histories, clear accounts of concepts and discoveries in neuroscience, and an intimate view of the suspense, excitement, fun, and angst that colour a neurologist's days. Zeman also considers what the brain's behaviour and misbehaviour can tell us about the human self as physical system, living creature, and conscious mind. In a final chapter he reflects on the place of the mind in nature. On every page Zeman both entertains and informs, and readers will find themselves pondering the enigmas of brain and mind long after closing the covers of this thought-provoking volume.

ISBN 0300114168   Pages 240 ISBN13 9780300114164 (What's this?)   Volumes 1 Publisher Yale University Press   Weight (grammes) 626 Imprint Yale University Press   Published in New Haven Format Hardback   Height (mm) 234 Publication date 24 Jan 2008   Width (mm) 156 Library of Congress 2007032187   Spine width (mm) 27 DEWEY 616.8   Academic level General, Professional / Scholarly, Tertiary education DEWEY edition DC22

		List of Figures
Ch. 1		Atom: I Am Tired		6
Ch. 2		Gene: Don't Fidget		23
Ch. 3		Protein: The Light of Dawn		39
Ch. 4		Organelle: Metamorphoses		61
Ch. 5		Neuron: Lost in Translation		78
Ch. 6		Synapse: Dr Gelineau's Dream		100
Ch. 7		Neural Network: The Sense of Pre-existence		118
Ch. 8		Lobe: The Art of Losing		140
Ch. 9		Psyche: Betrayal		159
Ch. 10		Soul: The Anatomy of the Soul		180
		Epilogue: O Magnum Mysterium		199
		Sources and Suggestions for Further Reading		202
		Glossary		213
		Appendix		239
		Index		240

"'This book is timely... a huge breath of fresh air.' Professor M.R. Trimble, National Hospital for Neurology & Neurosurgery, London"

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