CON I EN IS FOREWORD HOW TO USE THIS BOOK VII . VIII CHAPTER ONE 1 THE AMAZING BRAIN KNOWING ITSELF NERVE CELLS ANATOMY 2 • 10 • 18 LOOKING INSIDE 24 CHAPTER TWO 32 TH E NERVOUS SYSTEM IN HARMONY MESSENGERS DELICATE BALANCE 34 • 42 • 52 CHAPTER THREE 64 BRAIN DEVELOPMENT EVOLUTION A NEW BRAIN WAVES OF CHANGES 66 • 72 • 84 MATU RITY 92 CHAPTER FOUR 98 THE SENSES PERCEPTION SIGHTS & SOUNDS SMELL & TASTE 100 • 106 • 116 TOU C H INTEG RATION 122 • 128 CHAPTER FIVE 134 MOTION BRAIN IN ACTION SILENT RUNNING SHARED ROLES 136 • 146 • 152 MOTION SICKNESS 160 CHAPTER SIX 168 STATES OF MIND DAILY ROUTINES AWARENESS BRAIN AT REST 170 • 178 • 186 ALTERED STATES 198 n o Z --1 m Z CHAPTER SEVEN 204 --1 V> THE FEELING BRAIN EMOTIONS DARK EMOTIONS GOOD FEELINGS 206 • 214 • 220 IMPACTS OF LOSS 228 CHAPTER EIGHT 234 LEARNING eT MEMORY LEARNING A MEMORY FORMS LANGUAGE 236 • 246 • 258 CHAPTER NINE 266 THE AGING BRAIN MATURE MINDS BRAIN CHANGES LIVING LONGER 268 • 278 • 290 EPILOGUE 296 FUTURE OF THE BRAIN NEW INTELLIGENCE SOCIAL SHIFTS BETTER BRAINS 298 • 302 • 306 BRAIN MEDICINE NEXT STEPS 310 • 314 GLOSSARY 318 INDEX 326 FURTHER READING 338 PHOTO C REDITS 340 o BY RICHARD RESTAK, M.D. ;;:0 m ~ o BESTRIDING, Colossus-like, does require us to employ a kind But here's the most inspiring of ;;:0 both our inner and outer of double bookkeeping system. insights about the brain: We can o worlds, the brain is the On one hand we must study the enhance our brain's performance essential conduit for everything we brain with the objectivity befitting by our own efforts. Thus learning learn. Yet despite its pivotal impor any other area of inquiry. On the about the brain provides a wonder tance, we've only recently begun other hand we have to remain alert ful mix of instruction, amazement, exploring it. That's because the that our brain's ways of perceiving, and self improvement. As you gain risks and side effects of available thinking, and acting may lead us knowledge, you're in a better posi technology formerly precluded to incorrect conclusions. tion to improve its functioning the study of the normal brain. For instance, when we sleep and thereby increase the quality of As a result, we knew more about our conscious world temporar your life. diseased and injured brains than ily ceases. Based on this nightly Which brings me to Brain, that . . , . properly functioning ones. expenence, It s temptlllg to assume rarest of treasures: an easily read Now thanks to new and safer that our brain goes into a corre able book on a difficult and com technologies we're able to visualize sponding temporary suspension plex subject that is understandable, the healthy brain in color-coded of activity. But our brain doesn't encompassing, entertaining, and three dimensional images. These shut down; it continues to consoli just plain fun to read. (And after images have provoked widespread date and enhance the knowledge writing 20 books on the brain I excitement and research. As a acquired during our waking hours. trust I can claim, without seeming result, we've learned more about This insight awaited the develop immodest, that I recognize a good the brain during the last 20 years ment of the electroencephalogram "brain book" when I read it.) than the previous 500. Yet our (EEG) in the 1920s followed by the Michael Sweeney has done an knowledge is still limited. demonstration, 10 years later, that admirable job here in fashioning a Neuroscientists are feverishly EEG patterns change dramatically one-volume synthesis of an incred pursuing the so far elusive goal over the course of a night's sleep. ible amount of information. For of an overarching explanation of Throughout our lives, we're the reader new to the subject, Brain how the brain works. At times the establishing pathways within the provides a valuable and rewarding search is reminiscent of the child brain composed of millions of nerve introduction. And for those read hood game of trying to jump on cells. As we mature these pathways ers who are already "hooked" on one's own shadow: We're learning increase in complexity-a process the brain, they will find in this about the brain via the perspective similar to the branching of a tree volume a marvelous compendium provided by our brain. as it grows. Our cognitive abili of the current state of our knowl While this self-referential aspect ties evolve as an accompaniment edge, as well as provocative sugges of neuroscience doesn't present to this anatomical and functional tions about the future direction of an insurmountable obstacle, it brain complexity. brain research. Whirring cogs and spinning gears represent the flurry of activity driven and controlled by the brain. OPPOSITE: I IO W I 0 l S F I I II S BOO K J T HE NINE chapters found OSUBSECTIONS: Divide a chapter into an injury or an illness occurs, various in Brain: The Complete Mind segments on the major subjects treatments, and current research are packed with riveting o DIAGRAMS: Show the Illner work- o FLOW CHARTS: Illustrate processes information. Complementing the Illgs and anatomy of the brain, its and functions III an easy to under- engaglllg narrative-which covers processes, and its functions stand format the brain's anatomy, its myriad func o FAST FACTS: Present fascinating bits o CHAPTER GLOSSARIES: Define key tions, and its interactions with the of information and figures terms found within each chapter world-are hardworking reference o TABLES: Organize key information flj) BREAKTHROUGH SIDEBARS: Chronicle elements that pepper every page with into a quickly understood format the amazing discoveries that deepen facts and figures, amazing stories of o FACT BOXES: Feature entertaining our understanding of the brain breakthrough developments and the explanations and interesting anecdotes fllSTAYING SHARP SIDEBARS: Document plOneenng thinkers behind them, that you didn't know about the brain smart practices and strategic tactics descriptions of ailments and mala o CROSS-REFERENCES: Make valuable for keeping the brain healthy dies, and helpful strategies to keep- connections to related information f!l HISTORY SIDEBARS: Reveal the sto ing the brain at its best. Each feature in areas throughout the book nes behind historical neurosCience brings out the fascinating dimensions G WHAT CAN GO WRONG SIDEBARS: Dis beliefs and practices and the men and of the human brain. cuss what happens to the brain when women who shaped them SUBSECTION DIAGRAM FAST FACT TABLE FACT BOX 101', LOVE, cerebellum. Other areas of the those that contain rcceptors for & HAPPINESS brain became deactivated by love. oxytocin and arginine va.\opre~in. S(l("Cifically, and surprisingly, (he orAVP. m~ Falling in Love depres,ed brain regions have heen Oxytocin .,cem, to increase the m associated with sadness, anxiety, general level of (rust people have and other negative emotions. Low for each othcr. including strang Z Gl apparently not only makes you ers. That would explain why some giddy but also smothers feelinss people make social decisions [hat that might topple your dation. seem stupid when the chemicals Maternal love may .hare some of wear off. Consider the impaired the same neural circuits as roman- judgment found in a 2009 srudy PRAIRIE VOLES ore """N, brown otxIent>. tic love. 11." ncuromodulator oxy- conductcd in Britain. Researchers Tlhhee yo "th,"e,r~ .f.o...-...li 1fIey, "re"fdu siefs O Mto pmoo.lnIno. ..O-dSi"e"~ " tocin. released in the brain during gave men and women a whiff of Me>dow ",,"eo ore ""all, brown rodents o female orgasm, also is released oxytocin and asked {hem to rate '00 They don'. form ~r """cis, ond they o during childbirth and promotes the attl"'.Ictlveness of others. The rrlatepromisrng either F'<",t,,,.. 0' .... g.llYe co~,",nces c nol remember a name or how Ihat ANTEROGRADE AM NEStA. lo>, of DYSLEXI .... A .... r""'g dr"bil.ty of ""u OPERANT CONDITIONfNG. A p'o.: ... for ettln tpheers ohnra iisn faamctiilviaart.e Twhrhcat rpo'oJ.:o"n';ggu"ag teh, alIe aimdifn>g"i Stimuli work th,i, lWIymrough compl'" ",ural ci",uit< to ,""r m"",,'l oroblivion. ognize a face, First is the inferior "",bng, re.ding, and wn"ng ,"miro,hed through punl.h"",nt ~ m occipital gyri, which lie at the hack ARCUATE fASCICUWS, A bundle 01 ELA80RATION. A memO!)' Imniqu. in P. .. PEZCIRCUIT.A ,y"em of in ..f Con -< Using working memory, the brain adapted. Short-term memory of the brain whete visual process nOfVe f,b." . indudrng hrpfXXM" interacts with the world in the allows the brain 10 track the prog ing occurs, lhis pair of s(rUClUres n,<' csioomn moufn micaetmioonr yr efqaUr lrbtSe yaonn ed> :pthana t oLrodnegr- (te0r sme ntmenecmeso rayn dc aplal,r agu. p..a pthhse, smhaakpee oufp ththee nfoascet:,. liinpsc,l uadnidn ge ytehse; awchtiiodn1l ewaimthO ill>E ,oon« .u."~ u btyn .c.." ""i.>'Olg.n EthNaGi RmAeMmo_ rAy fteorrmm aft,i.o-nth me apyI 1"y'a.iv<..1 o, 'n' ''" PROSOP ... GNOSIA. A cond"ron .1", 7Z ' I of other animals. A speaker and a meaning of simple words as well as wrinkles; skin lOne; and other BROCA'S AREA. Reg,on in the Jelt Irontal f>"rtotip.hngn.u,on •. vkindouwoln . .a s" "fa.Nc. eb thon dr e..w....g i"n' 'w'~ ai< P;hO a"n"' ",n bdyi Z listener need ~"'tensive short- and more abstract forms such as figures characteristics. Second is the right cOr.in r<'M"". ."."" o f. .p.e trh>O.tMaIr e RroEtrCieAv"U'g. M~,eomuosryl yp r'too«r'et/ivoen< OJ kmeeeapn itnrgacsk. aos fw tehlle aws othred ss yanntXd< t(hheairt PERSONAL CONNECTIONS innigze cdo mfapcea rdisnodn t bheet wstcocrneh tohues Te tttohga i oCfL bAeSI1SaI"C,oArLa lC toOoNinoDoIgT oInO .N..toIN"'"G •. A p rPe""i" '" cHoYnPsOERouTsHlyY 'M«EaSIJTefdC SYNDROME. A 0Rm1E .lmCeaOorrnGyeN dthI Ti"te lOm'0N. ". ~''e''t' noefv tahl p. .i-doecnmul'" ....-0. ... f>"rti<'iv"y SEPARATION ANXIETY. Th d~tre .. .hort- and long-term memory and can identify as many as 90 down of the right fusiform gyms an ",d",d",1 unmten""".1Iy labri<" .. lound .. """. young children.1 th A ocred wilh images 01 thou. . nds 01 DmteSmSOolCietA., TbIeVlEie >~-iUngG UthE_m A t op. ybceh < .>. t<'c"ur at. .fio"mr"nm. ei n~o r •w •" hoio 10i< of ",II or brance of th. Ioc.otion of obj"'ts on .pace August 19-,~e i, invaded by t~e a sensory splil O.gCtMOYn' pouf, WERNICKE'SARrA. !lrain ..... Ioc.ot.d 'ighls. Ort of the lempO' ,, at Irvine r.a.e rallobe that C, Mozart's music. and Einstein', tian priests considered the brain $: The brain makes the lungs expand .... d there .re W"'f' to improve it< per malhematic~1 formulas. to be worthless. After a person's » with the inrush of air, the heart forman .Ironger ......... It'. g. ... n THE BRAIN AT WORK were ofl en removed and preserved. z a workout Creativity. imagi ....l ion• •n d tem fight off infection. It monitors other """hodo 01 cog~on impr""" Truly. the thoughts. feelings, and PrizcO above all waS the human Cl pain ano pleasure. signals when when your b, ..... rmct< to ""w ~r<.p memories thaI arise in the human heart, which the priests believed to cat and when 10 sleep, houses lions, p¥ti< mu.i<, ,nd Jel j<>Ur cesses sounds and sights, smells and minde.ic human family. tool through the nose, removed tastes. and feeling' ranging from ,tirnuiat. . many section. of the Onin .nd All of (he", marvels occur beyond the brain, discarded it, ~nd packed '" the subtle to the sublime. pre",nts the opponunny/ori Mt ~o"ennr-t lIIusele. It C1rties Out its work dec mind as the Egyptians, believing Tn. rumiflg of doc~ gt"n once provid.d 0 ~·mpl. . med"",i,oI metapnor for the broln z automatically comes somNhing """"'<':S •• hon-te-rmi""r""",.,the trochemic~lly at Ihe molecular level. the brain to be merely an elaborate Cl far different than !IIere mechan .billy to """" >patr.1p roblelm Much of the process of observing series of channds designed to cool OUR UNDERSTANDING of how rf1"", to open or do5e rase "ghost ficult to define. A person in a deep It commands muscles to move, hccn able to examine the b ...~ in carded the idea of the heart as the philosopher, likened the brain to tnt in tnt machine; a bodiles, s.ub,unce sb,p ora coma lacks ~n awareness. directing Ihe backhand "olley of in detail ano b.:gin (0 e>:plain its home of hllttlanity's essence, our animated statue. in Paris', Royal Gar· ~mehow throwing swit~, and mov an alertness. that a waking person a tennis racket and the driving of workings. Relying on macroscopic language is replete with examples dens 01 Saint-Germa",. Desurtes pic ing axles and gear'$, on framing one 01 possesses. This heightened Slate a race car. It allows parents 10 rec- observation alone, r\:Search into the of Ihe ancient idea clinging to (he tured the mind as an engin~r who tm, popular theorie. about the mind of knowing about the world. ~nd ognize their children. and children brain started extrcmely slowly. imagination. 'Ihis is especially truc "I. .. DDICTED MYSELF 10 the opening Willi, dreamed of nothing less than He examined the cerebellum, cerebral e.en if all but one artery were tied off_ guessed thM Ille initial blockage 01 of heaill: wrote Thomas w,n". the to "unlock the sec",t place, of man', hemi'pntres, m~dulla oblongata, and H~ got the idN from a human auto>,,}. one artery had caused the he.d· lounder 01 neurology_ Wrlli, (1621- mrnd: He perlormed countless autop other distinct part<. He Iried 10 show The man had complained of headaches, ache,. and the enlargement 01 the 1675) found dtrKi examination of the sies during hI< practice as a doclor in how damage to parti<;ular areas of the but they went away and he lived for other had made them di. .p pear_ human brain $0 much mOre enlightening Oxford, England, He knew that th~ clas brain might correspond with ,ymptoms years. After the man', death, Wilh!'s Willi, and hi, experiments with a than the cou,,,, of study that had domi sic de'oCnptions of th~ brain didn't match of diseases obs~I'\ied befor~ death aut0p'y revealed that one ",roud artery dog s

Brain: The Complete Mind: How It Develops, How It Works, and How to Keep It Sharp

Similar Brain: The Complete Mind: How It Develops, How It Works, and How to Keep It Sharp