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publisher: Praeger, published: 2009-11-12
ASIN: 0313358664
EAN: 9780313358661
sales rank: 1175322
Welcome to the world of Mysterious Minds: The Neurobiology of Psychics, Mediums, and Other Extraordinary People. Here, experts in the emerging field of neurobiological study make the case that while many claims of psychic ability are easily proven false, there may well be claimants who can obtain information in ways not easily explained by mainstream science—and there might be scientific tools and approaches available to confirm those experiences. Written by an expert team of distinguished investigators from a half dozen countries around the world, Mysterious Minds introduces readers to the current state of research into parapsychological experiences, emphasizing the neurobiological data obtained by those who claim to be psychics or mediums. It offers specific examples of paranormal claims of extraordinary people—claims scrutinized through the use of high-tech brain imaging, clinical neurological examinations, and psychotropic drugs. The book concludes by proposing a series of models based on fundamental neurobiology, psychology, and quantum physics that could help us unravel these mental mysteries.
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by: Malcolm M. Slaughter
publisher: McGraw-Hill Medical, published: 2001-08-20
ASIN: 0071360468
EAN: 9780071360463
sales rank: 499707
*A new book in the Basic Concepts series *Explains the fundamental principles of neuroscience and helps students organize and condense the material they need to study *Level of the material progressively builds from simple to complex, enabling mastery of concepts *Content is presented in simple, jargon-free language *Critical need-to-know information is highlights in boxes *Numerous tables and charts help compare and contrast key information
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publisher: CRC Press, published: 2009-11-24
ASIN: 1420071971
EAN: 9781420071979
sales rank: 1479494
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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by: Jaak Panksepp
publisher: Oxford University Press, USA, published: 2004-09-30
ASIN: 019517805X
EAN: 9780195178050
sales rank: 125437
Some investigators have argued that emotions, especially animal emotions, are illusory concepts outside the realm of scientific inquiry. However, with advances in neurobiology and neuroscience, researchers are demonstrating that this position is wrong as they move closer to a lasting understanding of the biology and psychology of emotion. In Affective Neuroscience, Jaak Panksepp provides the most up-to-date information about the brain-operating systems that organize the fundamental emotional tendencies of all mammals. Presenting complex material in a readable manner, the book offers a comprehensive summary of the fundamental neural sources of human and animal feelings, as well as a conceptual framework for studying emotional systems of the brain. Panksepp approaches emotions from the perspective of basic emotion theory but does not fail to address the complex issues raised by constructionist approaches. These issues include relations to human consciousness and the psychiatric implications of this knowledge. The book includes chapters on sleep and arousal, pleasure and fear systems, the sources of rage and anger, and the neural control of sexuality, as well as the more subtle emotions related to maternal care, social loss, and playfulness. Representing a synthetic integration of vast amounts of neurobehavioral knowledge, including relevant neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, and neurochemistry, this book will be one of the most important contributions to understanding the biology of emotions since Darwins The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals
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by: Louis Cozolino
publisher: W. W. Norton & Company, published: 2010-04-26
ASIN: 0393706427
EAN: 9780393706420
sales rank: 12306
How the brain's architecture is related to the problems, passions, and aspirations of human beings. In contrast to this view, recent theoretical advances in brain imaging have revealed that the brain is an organ continually built and re-built by one's experience. We are now beginning to learn that many forms of psychotherapy, developed in the absence of any scientific understanding of the brain, are supported by neuroscientific findings. In fact, it could be argued that to be an effective psychotherapist these days it is essential to have some basic understanding of neuroscience. Louis Cozolino's The Neuroscience of Psychotherapy, Second Edition is the perfect place to start. In a beautifully written and accessible synthesis, Cozolino illustrates how the brain's architecture is related to the problems, passions, and aspirations of human beings. As the book so elegantly argues, all forms of psychotherapy--from psychoanalysis to behavioral interventions--are successful to the extent to which they enhance change in relevant neural circuits. Beginning with an overview of the intersecting fields of neuroscience and psychotherapy, this book delves into the brain's inner workings, from basic neuronal building blocks to complex systems of memory, language, and the organization of experience. It continues by explaining the development and organization of the healthy brain and the unhealthy brain. Common problems such as anxiety, trauma, and codependency are discussed from a scientific and clinical perspective. Throughout the book, the science behind the brain's working is applied to day-to-day experience and clinical practice. Written for psychotherapists and others interested in the relationship between brain and behavior, this book encourages us to consider the brain when attempting to understand human development, mental illness, and psychological health. Fully and thoroughly updated with the many neuroscientific developments that have happened in the eight years since the publication of the first edition, this revision to the bestselling book belongs on the shelf of all practitioners.
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by: Margaret Wilkinson
publisher: W. W. Norton & Company, published: 2010-04-12
ASIN: 0393705617
EAN: 9780393705614
sales rank: 521687
Addresses the flurry of questions about the practical application of neuroscience in clinical treatment. Recent advances in research in the fields of attachment, trauma, and the neurobiology of emotion have shown that mind, brain, and body are inextricably linked. This new research has revolutionized our understanding of the process of change in psychotherapy and in life, and raised a flurry of questions about the practical application of neuroscience in clinical treatment, particularly with those who have experienced early relational trauma and neglect. What insight does neuroscience offer to our clinical understanding of early life experiences? Can we use the plasticity of the brain to aid in therapeutic change? If so, how?
Changing Minds in Therapy explores the dynamics of brain-mind change, translating insights from these new fields of study into practical tips for therapists to use in the consulting room. Drawing from a wide range of clinical approaches and deftly integrating the scholarly with the practical, Margaret Wilkinson presents contemporary neuroscience, as well as attachment and trauma theories, in an accessible way, illuminating the many ways in which cutting edge research may inform clinical practice.
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by: Howard Eichenbaum
publisher: Oxford University Press, USA, published: 2011-12-21
ASIN: 0199778612
EAN: 9780199778614
sales rank: 775263
This clear and accessible textbook introduces the brain's remarkable capacity for memory. The text was developed for undergraduate and beginning graduate students, but it will also be of use to cognitive scientists, biologists, and psychologists who seek an introduction to biological investigations of memory. Like the first edition, this fully-updated second edition begins with a history of memory research, starting with a "Golden Era" at the turn of the 20th century, and progressing to our current understanding of the neurobiology of memory. Subsequent sections of the book discuss the cellular basis of memory, amnesia in humans and animals, the physiology of memory, declarative, procedural, and emotional memory systems, memory consolidation, and the control of memory by the prefrontal cortex. The book is organized into four sections, which highlight the major themes of the text. The first theme is connection, which considers how memory is fundamentally based on alterations in the connectivity of neurons. This section of the book covers the most well studied models of cellular mechanisms of neural plasticity that may underlie memory. The second theme is cognition, which involves fundamental issues in the psychological structure of memory. This section of the book considers the competition among views on the nature of cognitive processes that underlie memory, and tells how the controversy was eventually resolved. The third theme is compartmentalization, which is akin to the classic problem of memory localization. However, unlike localization, the notion of "compartments" is intended to avoid the notion that particular memories are pigeon-holed into specific loci, and instead emphasize that different forms of memory are accomplished by distinct modules or brain systems. This section of the book surveys the evidence for multiple memory systems, and outlines how they are mediated by different brain structures and systems. The fourth and final theme is consolidation, the process by which memories are transformed from a labile trace into a permanent store. This text encapsulates the major concepts in the field of memory research, and makes this area accessible to students who pursue a variety of related disciplines.
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publisher: Humana Press, published: 2010-12-09
ASIN: 1617374105
EAN: 9781617374104
This interdisciplinary review of the cellular and molecular basis of aggression shows how the nerve cell circuitry and the neurochemistry that mediates aggressive behaviors are modified by various environmental and genetic factors. The authors focus on the links to cognition and the neurotransmitter pathways that either promote or suppress violent behavior. They also examine how family environment, early life experiences, exposure to violent video games and movies, religion, and substance abuse effect violent behaviors, including participation in gangs and terrorist organizations. Various behavioral and pharmacological approaches are presented for preventing and treating personal aggression.
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by: Patricia S. Churchland
publisher: Princeton University Press, published: 2011-02-28
ASIN: 069113703X
EAN: 9780691137032
sales rank: 18736
What is morality? Where does it come from? And why do most of us heed its call most of the time? In Braintrust, neurophilosophy pioneer Patricia Churchland argues that morality originates in the biology of the brain. She describes the "neurobiological platform of bonding" that, modified by evolutionary pressures and cultural values, has led to human styles of moral behavior. The result is a provocative genealogy of morals that asks us to reevaluate the priority given to religion, absolute rules, and pure reason in accounting for the basis of morality. Moral values, Churchland argues, are rooted in a behavior common to all mammals--the caring for offspring. The evolved structure, processes, and chemistry of the brain incline humans to strive not only for self-preservation but for the well-being of allied selves--first offspring, then mates, kin, and so on, in wider and wider "caring" circles. Separation and exclusion cause pain, and the company of loved ones causes pleasure; responding to feelings of social pain and pleasure, brains adjust their circuitry to local customs. In this way, caring is apportioned, conscience molded, and moral intuitions instilled. A key part of the story is oxytocin, an ancient body-and-brain molecule that, by decreasing the stress response, allows humans to develop the trust in one another necessary for the development of close-knit ties, social institutions, and morality. A major new account of what really makes us moral, Braintrust challenges us to reconsider the origins of some of our most cherished values.
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by: Stan Tatkin PsyD MFT
publisher: New Harbinger Publications, published: 2012-01-02
ASIN: 1608820580
EAN: 9781608820580
sales rank: 5060
""What the heck is my partner thinking?"" is a common refrain in romantic relationships, and with good reason. Every person is wired for love differently, with different habits, needs, and reactions to conflict. The good news is that most people's minds work in predictable ways and respond well to security, attachment, and rituals, making it possible to actually neurologically prime the brain for greater love and fewer conflicts. Wired for Love is a complete insider's guide to understanding a partner's brain and promoting love and trust within a romantic relationship. Readers learn ten scientific principles they can use to avoid triggering fear and panic in their partners, manage their partners' emotional reactions when they do become upset, and recognize when the brain's threat response is hindering their ability to act in a loving way. By learning to use simple gestures and words, readers can learn to put out emotional fires and help their partners feel more safe and secure. The no-fault view of conflict in this book encourages readers to move past a ""warring brain"" mentality and toward a more cooperative ""loving brain"" understanding of the relationship. Based in the sound science of neurobiology, attachment theory, and emotion regulation research, this book is essential reading for couples and others interested in understanding the complex dynamics at work behind love and trust in intimate relationships.
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