How might we better understand our travels through Grandmotherland? In this lively exploration, an experienced child psychotherapist draws together a wide range of perspectives on the role and experience of grandmothers. Judith Edwards looks back to the past and forward to the future, while being rooted in the reality of the modern grandmother’s life. We meet ‘good’ grannies, ‘bad’ grannies, and all those in between, as well as women who decided to be agents of transmission in other ways than passing on their DNA. Our guide looks at how the behaviour of the grandmother is affected by personality, culture, tradition and ‘norms’ and considers how psychoanalytic insights may help us understand this territory of life.

At 11.47pm on July 25th 1978, Louise Brown was the first person ever to be born through science rather than as the result of two people having sex. The birth was hailed as a "miracle" by the world's media, making her instantly famous. For the first time Louise tells the story of her world changing birth and its impact on her life. The book contains many family photographs and letters which have never been published before. It was written by Louise with her long-term publicist Martin Powell of Empica PR.

Science is on the cusp of a revolutionary breakthrough. We now understand more about ageing - and how to prevent and reverse it - than ever before. In The Telomerase Revolution, Dr Michael Fossel, who has been at the cutting edge of ageing research for decades, describes how telomerase will soon be used as a powerful therapeutic tool, with the potential to intervene in age-related disease, dramatically extend life spans and even reverse human ageing. Telomerase-based treatments are already on offer, and have shown early promise, but much more potent treatments will become available over the next decade. This is the definitive work on the latest science of human ageing, covering both the theory and the clinical implications, taking readers to the forefront of one of the most remarkable advances in human medicine.

In this worldwide survey, Clive Gamble explores the evolution of the human imagination, without which we would not have become a global species. He sets out to determine the cognitive and social basis for our imaginative capacity and traces the evidence back into deep human history. He argues that it was the imaginative ability to 'go beyond' and to create societies where people lived apart yet stayed in touch that made us such effective world settlers. To make his case Gamble brings together information from a wide range of disciplines: psychology, cognitive science, archaeology, palaeoanthropology, archaeogenetics, geography, quaternary science and anthropology. He presents a novel deep history that combines the archaeological evidence for fossil hominins with the selective forces of Pleistocene climate change, engages with the archaeogeneticists' models for population dispersal and displacement, and ends with the Europeans' rediscovery of the deep history settlement of the Earth.

Developmental theorists have struggled with defining the relations among biology, psychology, and sociocultural context, often reducing psychological functions of a person to either biological functioning or the role of sociocultural context - nature or nurture - and considering each area of human development separately. New Perspectives on Human Development addresses fundamental questions of development with a unified approach. It encompasses theory and research on cognitive, social and moral, and language and communicative development, in various stages of life, and explores interdisciplinary perspectives. New Perspectives on Human Development revisits old questions and applies original empirical findings, offering new directions for future research in the field.

Too tiny to see with the naked eye, the human embryo was just a hypothesis until the microscope made observation of embryonic development possible. This changed forever our view of the minuscule cluster of cells that looms large in questions about the meaning of life. Embryos under the Microscope examines how our scientific understanding of the embryo has evolved from the earliest speculations of natural philosophers to today's biological engineering, with its many prospects for life-enhancing therapies. Jane Maienschein shows that research on embryos has always revealed possibilities that appear promising to some but deeply frightening to others, and she makes a persuasive case that public understanding must be informed by up-to-date scientific findings. Direct observation of embryos greatly expanded knowledge but also led to disagreements over what investigators were seeing. Biologists confirmed that embryos are living organisms undergoing rapid change and are not in any sense functioning persons. They do not feel pain or have any capacity to think until very late stages of fetal development. New information about DNA led to discoveries about embryonic regulation of genetic inheritance, as well as evolutionary relationships among species. Scientists have learned how to manipulate embryos in the lab, taking them apart, reconstructing them, and even synthesizing--practically from scratch--cells, body parts, and maybe someday entire embryos. Showing how we have learned what we now know about the biology of embryos, Maienschein changes our view of what it means to be alive.

The age-friendly community movement is a global phenomenon, currently growing with the support of the WHO and multiple international and national organizations in the field of aging. Drawing on an extensive collection of international case studies, this volume provides an introduction to the movement. The contributors - both researchers and practitioners - touch on a number of current tensions and issues in the movement and offer a wide-ranging set of recommendations for advancing age-friendly community development. The book concludes with a call for a radical transformation of a medical and lifestyle model of aging into a relational model of health and social/individual wellbeing.

Ume Eder Bat (A beautiful child) (popular song from Basque folklore) The aim of this monograph is to introduce the postnatal development of morphological features that are relevant to readers interested in the neurobiology and pathology of the hippocampal formation in terms of the complex phenomena that underlie the progressive anatomical and functional maturation of this brain region. This review focuses on the morphological aspects, while more detailed basic phenomena associated with neuronal maturation-which are undoubtedly also of great interest-are only marginally referred to, although a selection of behavioral and clinical aspects will also be briefly addressed in an attempt to illustrate real situations in different clinical specialties. The creation of this monograph is justified by the increasing importance and growing awareness shown in recent years of neurodevelopmental disorders in children. This awareness is leading to increasing refinement in clinical exami- tions of patients that may suffer from different neurodevelopment-related diseases, such as autism, epilepsy, memory disorders, etc. To the best of our knowledge, this work is the first comprehensive description of the postnatal changes in the hip- campal formation in its different constituent fields. Given the growing sensitivity and accuracy of neuroradiological examinations, particularly MRI, we also sought to offer a glimpse at the MRI aspects related to the development of the hippocampal formation in the human infant.

Aging has long since been ascribed to the gradual accumulation of DNA mutations in the genome of somatic cells. However, it is only recently that the necessary sophisticated technology has been developed to begin testing this theory and its consequences. Vijg critically reviews the concept of genomic instability as a possible universal cause of aging in the context of a new, holistic understanding of genome functioning in complex organisms resulting from recent advances in functional genomics and systems biology. It provides an up-to-date synthesis of current research, as well as a look ahead to the design of strategies to retard or reverse the deleterious effects of aging. This is particularly important in a time when we are urgently trying to unravel the genetic component of aging-related diseases. Moreover, there is a growing public recognition of the imperative of understanding more about the underlying biology of aging, driven by continuing demographic change.

This volume collects essays from prominent intellectuals and public figures based on talks given at the 2015 Darwin College Lectures on the theme of 'development'. The writers are world-renowned experts in such diverse fields as architecture, astronomy, biology, climate science, economy, psychology, sports and technology. Development includes contributions from developmental biologist and Nobel laureate John B. Gurdon, Olympic gold medallist Katherine Grainger, astronomer and cosmologist Richard Ellis, developmental psychologist Bruce Hood, former Met Office Chief Scientist Julia Slingo, architect Michael Pawlyn, development economist Ha-Joon Chang and serial entrepreneur Hermann Hauser. While their perspectives and interpretations of development vary widely, their essays are linked by a common desire to describe and understand how things change, usually in the direction of ever-increasing complexity. Written with the lay reader in mind, this interdisciplinary book is a must-read for anybody interested in the mechanisms underlying the changes we see in the world around us.

Western thought traditionally divides the human being into a body-mind dualism, a divide realized in the divergent research fields of geriatrics and gerontology; the first examines the physical body, and the second focuses instead upon psychological and social aspects of aging. Research Health Scientist Christopher Faircloth's edited volume of original pieces attempts to bridge this rift: reinserting the physical aging body and its lived experiences back into gerontology's study of aging. He asks, 'Is it not the physical body that readily marks us as aging?' Faircloth organizes this text around two major themes of the aging body: everyday experience, and the social and personal impact of its imagery, while concentrating on three areas of substantive concern: medicalization, gender/sexuality, and the body as consumer. This book would be of interest to gerontologists, social scientists, and students of these fields concerned with the aging body, both object and subject, as experienced and alternatively perceived in relation to contemporary society.

The honest, compassionate and vital guide to getting older, from dementia to finances, medication to care homes 'The most important book about the second half of your life you'll ever read. I wish everyone in the UK could be under Dr Lucy's care' SANDI TOKSVIG 'This warm and compassionate book gets to the heart of older age' THE BRITISH GERIATRICS SOCIETY ________ Now more than ever, we need to talk about getting older. Many of us are living to a very great age. But how do we give those we love, and eventually ourselves, long lives that are as happy and healthy as possible? Dr Lucy's book gives us answers to the questions we can voice - and those that we can't. This essential guide will guide you through those important conversations around growing older, answering every question you might have, including: * How do we start the conversation? * How do we ask whether it's worth taking seven different medicines? * Is it normal to find you're falling out of love with someone, as they disappear into dementia? * Should Dad be driving, and if not, who can stop him? * What are the secrets of the best care homes? * When does fierce independence become bad behaviour? * How do you navigate near-impossible discussions around resuscitation and intensity of treatments? * And who decides what happens when we become ill? Serious, funny, kind and knowledgeable, this readable book helps guide us through essential conversations about getting older that go straight to the heart of what matters most.

"This is by far the best book I've read on the science of aging."—Andrew Weil, M.D.

"Life-span Truth Will Set You Free from Age-old Worries," announced the Chicago Tribune upon the first publication of this book. The New England Journal of Medicine confirmed, "For readers interested in aging and longevity, this small book clearly explains the major concepts...extremely enjoyable to read." From NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw to Scientific American to the New York Times, S. Jay Olshansky and Bruce A. Carnes have stirred up controversy and brought clarity to an issue often muddled by exaggeration and pseudoscience.

Medical science has uncovered a host of answers to the problems of aging, but many of the most exciting discoveries are buried in scientific journals or overshadowed by popular quick-fix treatments. The Quest for Immortality explains the real science of aging and shows which treatments offered by today's multi-billion-dollar anti-aging industries offer real hope, and which are a waste of money and time.

Flourishing in Emerging Adulthood highlights the third decade of life as a time in which individuals have diverse opportunities for positive development. There is mounting evidence that this time period, at least for a significant majority, is a unique developmental period in which positive development is fostered. Dr. Lene Arnett Jensen highlights the importance of this work in an engaging foreword, and chapters are written by leading scholars in diverse disciplines who address various aspects of flourishing. They discuss multiple aspects of positive development including how young people flourish in key areas of emerging adulthood (e.g., identity, love, work, worldviews), the various unique opportunities afforded to young people to flourish, how flourishing might look different around the world, and how flourishing can occur in the face of challenge. Most chapters are accompanied by first-person essays written by a range of emerging adults who exemplify the aspect of flourishing denoted in that chapter and make note of how choices and experiences have helped them transition to adulthood. Taken together, this innovative collection provides rich evidence and examples of how young people are flourishing as a group and as individuals in a variety of settings and circumstances. This unique resource will be useful to students, faculty, professionals, clinicians, and university personnel who work with young adults or who study development during emerging adulthood.

'Mind-blowing ... It is a hugely important book ... His story is crucial' Matt Ridley, The Times One of the world's top behavioural geneticists argues that we need a radical rethink about what makes us who we are The blueprint for our individuality lies in the 1% of DNA that differs between people. Our intellectual capacity, our introversion or extraversion, our vulnerability to mental illness, even whether we are a morning person - all of these aspects of our personality are profoundly shaped by our inherited DNA differences. In Blueprint, Robert Plomin, a pioneer in the field of behavioural genetics, draws on a lifetime's worth of research to make the case that DNA is the most important factor shaping who we are. Our families, schools and the environment around us are important, but they are not as influential as our genes. This is why, he argues, teachers and parents should accept children for who they are, rather than trying to mould them in certain directions. Even the environments we choose and the signal events that impact our lives, from divorce to addiction, are influenced by our genetic predispositions. Now, thanks to the DNA revolution, it is becoming possible to predict who we will become, at birth, from our DNA alone. As Plomin shows us, these developments have sweeping implications for how we think about parenting, education, and social mobility. A game-changing book by a leader in the field, Blueprint shows how the DNA present in the single cell with which we all begin our lives can impact our behaviour as adults.

New science updates the "blue zones" secrets to healthy longevity with a flexible, holistic approach that incorporates epigenetics, nutrition, and mental health. Through his documentary film series, The Human Longevity Project, Jason Prall traveled to select regions around the world known for their long-lived, healthy populations. He sought to understand not only the longevity secrets of these societies but also the scientific basis underpinning their health wisdom. Through his travels, he came to the realization that while the pursuit of longevity is sexy, it's insufficient and hollow-what most of us really want is an extended life filled with vibrant health, meaning, and purpose. We want to thrive as we age. This book combines his own personal experiences with the knowledge and wisdom gained from interviewing more than 100 health experts and dozens of amazing elders from around the world. You'll discover that when experiential wisdom is supported by the latest scientific research, a more integrated picture emerges of how you can most effectively increase your happiness, health, and longevity. Life is a mysterious process with a natural development, order, and cycle. It is lent to us for a brief moment before the physical body is left behind. If we wish to thrive in the modern world, we must create a mental, emotional, physical, and energetic environment that is congruent with this natural lifecycle. The reality that humanity has created, filled with next-generation technologies and increasing comforts, presents both unique opportunities and novel challenges. We have the option to choose a more harmonious path that establishes greater coherence within ourselves, one another, and the environment. This is the amazing opportunity that lies before us. When we live from alignment, all life benefits.

This book is dedicated to an update on metabolic disorders and their consequences on the developing nervous system. In the last ten years, major scientific advances in biochemical diagnosis have enabled the identification of many new disease entities, as well as a better classification of clinical symptoms and their correlation to biochemical defects. This volume provides an introduction to basic sciences specifically relevant to this disease group, then focuses on each subgroup in turn: hyperphenylalaninaemias, mitochondrial encephalomyopathies, organic acidoses, urea cycle defects, lysosomal storage and peroxylsomal disorders. Finally, a discussion of long term follow-up and family related issues also reports the results of a four-year research project led by the Mariani Foundation.

This book looks at the major changes that have occurred in the theory and practice of speech therapy for children with developmental speech disorders. It looks at current issues and their clinical implications, but the overall aim of the book is to set clinical practice firmly in a theoretical framework. While it is therefore essentially a practical book for practitioners, it also engages in the academic investigation of the nature of the different types of developmental speech disorders and their consequences for the children. This discussion provides the framework in which to consider clinical management and specific clinical techniques.

A recurrent theme throughout each chapter is the impact of linguistics upon our understanding and management of children' s problems in learning to pronounce. There is no doubt that the linguistic revolution in speech and language pathology has produced an entirely new perspective on these disorders by identifying the phonological dimension of speech development.

Of equal importance is the expansion of knowledge about children' s language development. Much more information is now available about phonological development in terms of what the developmental changes are and when they occur. This information is valuable in assessment and diagnosis. The book also includes a number of competing theories explaining how children develop their pronunciation patterns. These theories provide the premises upon which to establish a principled theory of therapy.

To reflect these issues and their clinical implications the book is divided into three sections. The first section explores the framework within which to discuss developmental speech disorders.The second section covers three specific types of pathological conditions with which developmental speech disorders are associated. The third section examines the problems of children who have no evident major disabling condition and yet they experience severe difficulties learning to pronounce and subsequently, more often than not, learning to read and write.

Healthy Ageing and Aged Care takes an inter-disciplinary approach to supporting older people within the community and in care. It represents current Australian policies and practices and takes a holistic view of the older person, and emphasises the positive aspects of the ageing process, maintaining that people age in healthy ways and continue to be an integral part of their families and communities. This is one of the rewarding aspects of working with older people-assessing accurately and collaboratively putting in place strategies that can maintain the person's quality of life. The goal is for students to be able to develop those skills by engaging with the material in this book.

This book is a contemporary statement of what is known about morphological development of the normal and abnormal human nervous system and puts into perspective the continued importance of changes that occur in the course of foetal development and how these processes may become defective. The first part of the book deals with the development of the central nervous system (CNS) from a morphological point of view including data from the fields of biochemistry, immunology and genetics. The second part reviews the genetic and nongenetic etiology of abnormal CNS development and discusses throughly all patologic syndromes that are related to disturbances of brain development. With the rapid progress in such modern branches of science as neurochemistry, genetics and molecular biology, this book will be invaluable for researchers working in these fields.