This book offers a new theoretical framework within which to understand "the mind-body problem". The crux of this problem is phenomenal experience, which Thomas Nagel famously described as "what it is like" to be a certain living creature. David Chalmers refers to the problem of "what-it-is-like" as "the hard problem" of consciousness and claims that this problem is so "hard" that investigators have either just ignored the issue completely, investigated a similar (but distinct) problem, or claimed that there is literally nothing to investigate - that phenomenal experience is illusory. This book contends that phenomenal experience is both very real and very important. Two specific "biological naturalist" views are considered in depth. One of these two views, in particular, seems to be free from problems; adopting something along the lines of this view might finally allow us to make sense of the mind-body problem. An essential read for anyone who believes that no satisfactory solution to "the mind-body problem" has yet been discovered.

The polyvagal theory explains the biological origins of a variety of social behaviors and emotional disorders. This book distills that theory into practical clinical tips, explaining its relevance to the social engagement system and offering clinical examples, including cases of trauma and autism.

Amongst educators, scientists and policy-makers there is a growing belief that the field of education can benefit from an understanding of the brain. However, attempts to bring neuroscience and education together have often been hampered by crucial differences in concepts, language and philosophy. In this book, Paul Howard-Jones explores these differences, drawing on the voices of educators and scientists to argue for a new field of enquiry: neuroeducational research.

Introducing Neuroeducational Research provides a meaningful bridge between two diverse perspectives on learning. It proposes that any such bridge must serve two goals that are critically related to each other: it must enrich both scientific and educational understanding. This challenge gives rise to unique conceptual, methodological and ethical issues that will inevitably characterise this new field, and these are examined and illustrated here through empirical research. Throughout the book, Paul Howard-Jones:

• Explores ?neuromyths? and their impact on educational research
• Highlights the opportunities to combine biological, social and experiential evidence in understanding how we learn
• Argues against a ?brain-based? natural science of education
• Introduces clearly the concept of an interdisciplinary neuroeducational approach
• Builds a methodology for conducting neuroeducational research
• Draws on case studies and empirical findings to illustrate how a neuroeducational approach can provide a fuller picture of how we learn.

Presenting a blueprint for including our knowledge of the brain in education, this book is essential reading for all those concerned with human learning in authentic contexts: educators, scientists and policy-makers alike.

Tremors, Volume 163 in the International Review in Neurobiology serial highlights new advances in the field, with this new volume presenting interesting chapters. Each chapter is written by an international board of authors.

This book illustrates how modern mathematical wavelet transform techniques offer fresh insights into the complex behavior of neural systems at different levels: from the microscopic dynamics of individual cells to the macroscopic behavior of large neural networks. It also demonstrates how and where wavelet-based mathematical tools can provide an advantage over classical approaches used in neuroscience. The authors well describe single neuron and populational neural recordings. This 2nd edition discusses novel areas and significant advances resulting from experimental techniques and computational approaches developed since 2015, and includes three new topics: * Detection of fEPSPs in multielectrode LFPs recordings. * Analysis of Visual Sensory Processing in the Brain and BCI for Human Attention Control; * Analysis and Real-time Classification of Motor-related EEG Patterns; The book is a valuable resource for neurophysiologists and physicists familiar with nonlinear dynamical systems and data processing, as well as for graduate students specializing in these and related areas.

Presents the State-of-the-Art in Fat Taste Transduction

A bite of cheese, a few potato chips, a delectable piece of bacon a small taste of high-fat foods often draws you back for more. But why are fatty foods so appealing? Why do we crave them? Fat Detection: Taste, Texture, and Post Ingestive Effects covers the many factors responsible for the sensory appeal of foods rich in fat. This well-researched text uses a multidisciplinary approach to shed new light on critical concerns related to dietary fat and obesity.

Outlines Compelling Evidence for an Oral Fat Detection System

Reflecting 15 years of psychophysical, behavioral, electrophysiological, and molecular studies, this book makes a well-supported case for an oral fat detection system. It explains how gustatory, textural, and olfactory information contribute to fat detection using carefully designed behavioral paradigms. The book also provides a detailed account of the brain regions that process the signals elicited by a fat stimulus, including flavor, aroma, and texture.

This readily accessible work also discusses:

• The importance of dietary fats for living organisms
• Factors contributing to fat preference, including palatability
• Brain mechanisms associated with appetitive and hedonic experiences connected with food consumption
• Potential therapeutic targets for fat intake control
• Genetic components of human fat preference
• Neurological disorders and essential fatty acids

Providing a comprehensive review of the literature from the leading scientists in the field, this volume delivers a holistic view of how the palatability and orosensory properties of dietary fat impact food intake and ultimately health. Fat Detection represents a new frontier in the study of food perception, food intake, and related health consequences.

This volume presents examples of how Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) are applied in biological sciences and related areas. Chapters cover a wide variety of topics, including the analysis of intracellular sorting information, prediction of the behavior of bacterial communities, biometric authentication, studies of Tuberculosis, gene signatures in breast cancer classification, the use of mass spectrometry in metabolite identification, visual navigation, and computer diagnosis. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, application details for both the expert and non-expert reader, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, Artificial Neural Networks: Third Edition should be of value to all scientists interested in the hands-on application of ANNs in the biosciences.

Until recently jurisprudence largely ignored neuroscientific findings. The advent of sophisticated methodologies in the neurosciences - in particular brain imaging techniques - reduced this unawareness, and findings, pointing to clear and unequivocal relations between brain structure and brain function on the one side and personality dimensions on the other, led to a growing interest of jurisprudence in brain research. The Special Issue is intended to provide an overview over the most recent findings and technological refinements in the field of crime related neuroscientific investigations. It covers genetics, functional brain imaging, mind reading, lie detection, and many other topics.

The first edition of The Female Brain laid the groundwork for gaining a better understanding of the female brain, examining the evidence for structural and functional differences between the brains of males and females. Addressing a wealth of new research, the second edition continues in this vein, leading readers through the basic principles of anatomy and physiology and on to the complex behavioral functions which constitute the workings of the normal and abnormal female brain. Examines Questions about Structural and Functional Differences The book addresses the question of structural and functional differences between the female brain and the male brain. Are there differences? How good is the evidence? Where do the differences lie? Are there differences in the neuroanatomy of females, and if so, where? Do females and males process information differently, and if so, how? The author puts the relative lack of information on the female brain into historical perspective and reviews empirical evidence relevant to the different aspects of brain structure and function. She elucidates laterality, the functional asymmetry of the brain, the left brain-right brain distinctions, and how they differ between females and males. A Clear Presentation and Evaluation of Medical and Scientific Evidence Filled with rigorous scientific analysis in an easily accessible format and detailed explanatory diagrams, the book systematically develops the topic from anatomy to behavior. It draws on current research to explain why men and women behave differently and why these differences should be exploited when designing research and clinical studies.

Body fluid regulation is pivotal to human health and is served by extensive clinical and pre-clinical science. By combining modern advances with previous findings in the field, this book presents a comprehensive treatment of major experiments, theories, and new advances in the field of body fluid regulation, thirst, and drinking. It features the main integrative brain mechanisms for fluid regulation, the development of such systems, fluid balance during heat and exercise, aging and clinical disorders, and comparative aspects of fluid regulation. The volume focuses on mammalian thirst or drinking behaviour alongside relevant aspects of the physiology of fluid balance. The principal fluid compartments and their regulation by both intakes and losses are highlighted, using both human and animal studies to illustrate the main concepts.

Trust is essential for establishing and maintaining cooperative behaviors between individuals and institutions in a wide variety of social, economic, and political contexts. This book explores trust through the lens of neurobiology, focusing on empirical, methodological, and theoretical aspects. Written by a distinguished group of researchers from economics, psychology, human factors, neuroscience, and psychiatry, the chapters shed light on the neurobiological underpinnings of trust as applied in a variety of domains. Researchers and students will discover a refined understanding of trust by delving into the essential topics in this area of study outlined by leading experts.

'A big-picture forecast of how medicine stands on the threshold of a revolution that will radically change all of our lives' The Times Welcome to a revolution in the science of you! This landmark new book from award-winning scientist Daniel M. Davis explores the future of the human body. Imagine taking drugs to help you acquire new skills, or knowing years in advance the precise likelihood of developing specific cancers, or following a diet and health regime tailored to your microbiome, or even having continuous monitoring of your body's workings and well-being. Written by an award-winning scientist, this landmark book shows how these radical and disconcerting possibilities have been made real. It is at once a gripping drama of scientific ingenuity, discovery and collaboration, and a vision of the human body of dizzying complexity and wonder. 'The startling new discoveries...are radically altering our understanding of how we function and what our future holds' BRIAN COX 'Thrilling' BILL BRYSON 'Brilliant' TIM SPECTOR 'Extraordinary' ALICE ROBERTS

The hugely influential book on how the understanding of causality revolutionized science and the world, by the pioneer of artificial intelligence 'Wonderful ... illuminating and fun to read' Daniel Kahneman, Nobel Prize-winner and author of Thinking, Fast and Slow 'Correlation does not imply causation.' For decades, this mantra was invoked by scientists in order to avoid taking positions as to whether one thing caused another, such as smoking and cancer, or carbon dioxide and global warming. But today, that taboo is dead. The causal revolution, sparked by world-renowned computer scientist Judea Pearl and his colleagues, has cut through a century of confusion and placed cause and effect on a firm scientific basis. Now, Pearl and science journalist Dana Mackenzie explain causal thinking to general readers for the first time, showing how it allows us to explore the world that is and the worlds that could have been. It is the essence of human and artificial intelligence. And just as Pearl's discoveries have enabled machines to think better, The Book of Why explains how we too can think better. 'Pearl's accomplishments over the last 30 years have provided the theoretical basis for progress in artificial intelligence and have redefined the term "thinking machine"' Vint Cerf

This detailed book focuses on cutting-edge methods for Parkinson's disease (PD) research, such as the analysis of the prion-like properties of -synuclein, mitochondrial functions related to the PINK1-Parkin pathway/CHCHD2, the endolysosome pathway related to LRRK2, VPS35, and ATP13A2 using cultured cells (including patient iPS cells), deep brain stimulation therapy, classic mitochondrial toxins related to PD, and genetic associations and screenings using mammalian and invertebrate genetic models of PD. The collection intends to serve as an introductory protocol book for basic research on PD pathogenesis. Written for the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, Experimental Models of Parkinson's Disease is an ideal guide for researchers continuing to work toward making PD risk predictable and surmountable.

Why people are not as gullible as we think Not Born Yesterday explains how we decide who we can trust and what we should believe-and argues that we're pretty good at making these decisions. In this lively and provocative book, Hugo Mercier demonstrates how virtually all attempts at mass persuasion-whether by religious leaders, politicians, or advertisers-fail miserably. Drawing on recent findings from political science and other fields ranging from history to anthropology, Mercier shows that the narrative of widespread gullibility, in which a credulous public is easily misled by demagogues and charlatans, is simply wrong. Why is mass persuasion so difficult? Mercier uses the latest findings from experimental psychology to show how each of us is endowed with sophisticated cognitive mechanisms of open vigilance. Computing a variety of cues, these mechanisms enable us to be on guard against harmful beliefs, while being open enough to change our minds when presented with the right evidence. Even failures-when we accept false confessions, spread wild rumors, or fall for quack medicine-are better explained as bugs in otherwise well-functioning cognitive mechanisms than as symptoms of general gullibility. Not Born Yesterday shows how we filter the flow of information that surrounds us, argues that we do it well, and explains how we can do it better still.

This book explains how the brain interacts with the social world-and why stories matter. How do our brains enable us to tell and follow stories? And how do stories affect our minds? In Stories and the Brain, Paul B. Armstrong analyzes the cognitive processes involved in constructing and exchanging stories, exploring their role in the neurobiology of mental functioning. Armstrong argues that the ways in which stories order events in time, imitate actions, and relate our experiences to others' lives are correlated to cortical processes of temporal binding, the circuit between action and perception, and the mirroring operations underlying embodied intersubjectivity. He reveals how recent neuroscientific findings about how the brain works-how it assembles neuronal syntheses without a central controller-illuminate cognitive processes involving time, action, and self-other relations that are central to narrative. An extension of his previous book, How Literature Plays with the Brain, this new study applies Armstrong's analysis of the cognitive value of aesthetic harmony and dissonance to narrative. Armstrong explains how narratives help the brain negotiate the neverending conflict between its need for pattern, synthesis, and constancy and its need for flexibility, adaptability, and openness to change. The neuroscience of these interactions is part of the reason stories give shape to our lives even as our lives give rise to stories. Taking up the age-old question of what our ability to tell stories reveals about language and the mind, this truly interdisciplinary project should be of interest to humanists and cognitive scientists alike.

The sciences philosophy, psychology and neuroscience share the basis that all refer to the human being. Therefore, an interdisciplinary collaboration would be desirable. The exchange of criticism is an essential requirement for interdisciplinary collaboration. Criticism must be heard and - if possible - considered. Indeed, criticism can be valid or unwarranted. However, whether criticism is unwarranted can only emerge from discussion and conversation. In the discussion of cognitive neuroscience, some criticism can easily be considered (such as the mereological fallacy that represents that talking about the person is substituted with talking bout the brain). Another issue for an interdisciplinary discussion of cognitive neuroscience is the interpretation of the readiness potential including re-considering Benjamin Libet's classic experiments. Additionally, a critical discussion on cognitive neuroscience must address ethical questions, such as the possibility of the abuse of neuroscientific insight.

This book provides comprehensive information, both for clinicians and scientists, on the basic mechanisms, clinical features, and therapeutic approaches to epilepsy as an inflammatory disease. Inflammation has been for many years considered as an etiologic player (and a therapeutic target) for a specific group of epilepsies. However, it turns out that this concept underestimated the impact of inflammation in seizure disorders. Many accepted therapies for non-inflammatory epilepsies act in part as an inflammatory drug. The CNS actively responds to acute immune challenges by altering body temperature, stimulating the HPA axis, as well as up- and down-regulating specific sympathetic pathways.

Mirror neurons are premotor neurons, originally discovered in the macaque brain, that discharge both during execution of goal-directed actions and during the observation of similar actions executed by another individual. They therefore mirror others actions on the observer's motor repertoire. In the last decade an impressive amount of work has been devoted to the study of their properties and to investigate if they are present also in our species. Neuroimaging and electrophysiological techniques have shown that a mirror-neuron system does exist in the human brain as well. Among mirror human areas, Broca s area (the frontal area for speech production) is almost constantly activated by action observation. This suggests a possible evolutionary link between action understanding and verbal communication. In the most recent years, mirror-like phenomena have been demonstrated also for domains others than the pure motor one. Examples of that are the somatosensory and the emotional systems, possibly providing a neurophysiological basis to phenomena such as embodiment and empathy. This special issue collects some of the most representative works on the mirror-neuron system to give a panoramic view on current research and to stimulate new experiments in this exciting field.

Handbook of Child and Adolescent Psychology Treatment Modules: Personalized Care in Behavior and Emotion provides clinicians with modularized treatment strategies for commonly occurring child and youth mental health disorders. Divided into two sections, the first part of the book translates basic science into clinical practice, reviewing predictors, mediators and moderators of change, and an overview of evidence for best practices in treating disorders. The second section guides clinicians on how to implement treatment strategies. Chapters instruct what therapy is, how to introduce it to clients, step-by-step implementation, worksheets for use in practice, homework to send home with clients, and more.

This volume focuses on the optogenetics workflow, and covers topics on viral vectors, targeting strategies, choice on opsins, animal models and readouts, and applications in systems neuroscience. This book shows readers how to identify the critical aspects of each methodological step, and how to determine the necessary level of complexity to address the particular research question. In Neuromethods series style, chapters include the kind of detail and key advice from the specialists needed to get successful results in your laboratory. Comprehensive and cutting-edge, Optogenetics: A Roadmap is a valuable guide for both the optogenetics novices and the experts.

This book describes fundamental physical principles, together with their mathematical formulations, for modelling the propagation of signals in nerve fibres. Above all, it focuses on the complex electro-mechano-thermal process that produces an ensemble of waves composed of several components, besides the action potential. These components include mechanical waves in the biomembrane and axoplasm, together with the temperature change. Pursuing a step-by-step approach, the content moves from physics and mathematics, to describing the physiological effects, and finally to modelling the coupling effects. The assumptions and hypotheses used for modelling, as well as selected helpful concepts from continuum mechanics, are systematically explained, and the modelling is illustrated using the outcomes of numerical simulation. The book is chiefly intended for researchers and graduate students, providing them with a detailed description of how to model the complex physiological processes in nerve fibres.

This volume discusses how environmental pollutants are involved in the pathogenesis of neurological disorders, and covers specific mechanisms and risk factors, as well as the necessary strategies to reduce the adverse impacts of environmental pollutants on the human nervous system. With a collection of contributions from experts in environmental pollution, neurology and pharmaceutical chemistry, the book provides both an introduction to the pathogenesis of neurodegeneration, including the types and different classes of neurological disorders, and studies demonstrating the clear link between environmental contaminants (e.g. pesticides, smoking, mycotoxins, persistent organic pollutants (POP's), polychlorinated biphenyls, phthalates, nanomaterials) and the development of neurological disorders in vulnerable populations. The book fills in a gap in research on the topic by also covering state-of-the-art treatment strategies and mitigation measures for each type of pollutant. The book will be of interest to environmental scientists, pharmacologists, toxicologists, biochemists, biotechnologists, and food and drug regulatory organizations.

This book aims at providing insights into the collagen superfamily and the remarkable diversity of collagen function within the extracellular matrix. Additionally, the mechanisms underlying collagen-related diseases such as dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa, osteogenesis imperfecta, as well as collagen-related myopathies and neurological disorders are discussed. Collagens are the most abundant extracellular matrix proteins in organisms. Their primary function is to provide structural support and strength to cells and to maintain biomechanical integrity of tissues. However, collagens can no longer be considered just as structural proteins. They can act as extracellular modulators of signaling events and serve critical regulatory roles in various cell functions during embryonic development and adult homeostasis. Furthermore, collagens are associated with a broad spectrum of heritability-related diseases known as "collagenopathies" that affect a multitude of organs and tissues including sensorial organs. The book is a useful introduction to the field for junior scientists, interested in extracellular matrix research. It is also an interesting read for advanced scientists and clinicians working on collagens and collagenopathies, giving them a broader view of the field beyond their area of specialization.

Humans have a unique ability to understand the beliefs, emotions, and intentions of others-a capacity often referred to as mentalizing. Much research in psychology and neuroscience has focused on delineating the mechanisms of mentalizing, and examining the role of mentalizing processes in other domains of cognitive and affective functioning. The purpose of the book is to provide a comprehensive overview of the current research on the mechanisms of mentalizing at the neural, algorithmic, and computational levels of analysis. The book includes contributions from prominent researchers in the field of social-cognitive and affective neuroscience, as well as from related disciplines (e.g., cognitive, social, developmental and clinical psychology, psychiatry, philosophy, primatology). The contributors review their latest research in order to compile an authoritative source of knowledge on the psychological and brain bases of the unique human capacity to think about the mental states of others. The intended audience is researchers and students in the fields of social-cognitive and affective neuroscience and related disciplines such as neuroeconomics, cognitive neuroscience, developmental neuroscience, social cognition, social psychology, developmental psychology, cognitive psychology, and affective science. Secondary audiences include researchers in decision science (economics, judgment and decision-making), philosophy of mind, and psychiatry.