By integrating sociological, psychological, and biological perspectives, this book aims to demystify and destigmatize a challenging and taboo topic – suicide. It weaves current theories and statistics on suicide into a larger message of how suicide can affect almost anyone, and how urgent prevention needs are. Written in an accessible manner, it assumes no pre-existing knowledge of suicide. The broad nontechnical overview will appeal to general readers and a wide range of disciplines, including politics and policy, biology, psychology, sociology, and psychiatry. It concludes on a positive note, focused on recovery, resilience, and hope. It considers not only how these factors may play a role in suicide prevention, but how, despite persistent suicide rates, we can proceed optimistically and take concrete action to support loved ones or promote suicide prevention efforts.

In "Effort: A Behavioral Neuroscience Perspective on the Will," author Jay Schulkin presents a two-fold thesis: there is no absolute separation of the cognitive and non-cognitive brain, and there are diverse cognitive systems, many of which are embodied in motor systems that underlie self-regulation. Central to this thesis is that dopamine is the one neurotransmitter that underlies the diverse senses of effort, and is apparent in most everyday activity, whether solving a problem in our head or moving about.
As scientific literature abounds with studies of decision-making and effort, this book emphasizes the importance of demythologizing our understanding of cognitive systems in order to link motivation, behavioral inhibition, self-regulation, and will.
"Effort" will benefit researchers and students in neuroscience, behavioral neuroscience, cognitive psychology, clinical psychology, social psychology, as well as anyone with interest in this topic.

By integrating sociological, psychological, and biological perspectives, this book aims to demystify and destigmatize a challenging and taboo topic – suicide. It weaves current theories and statistics on suicide into a larger message of how suicide can affect almost anyone, and how urgent prevention needs are. Written in an accessible manner, it assumes no pre-existing knowledge of suicide. The broad nontechnical overview will appeal to general readers and a wide range of disciplines, including politics and policy, biology, psychology, sociology, and psychiatry. It concludes on a positive note, focused on recovery, resilience, and hope. It considers not only how these factors may play a role in suicide prevention, but how, despite persistent suicide rates, we can proceed optimistically and take concrete action to support loved ones or promote suicide prevention efforts.

Preoperative Events switches the focus from post-operative rehabilitation to preoperative experiences and personal histories to lessen the consequences of brain damage. These papers document the relationship between preoperative experience and postoperative performance and discuss a variety of protective preoperative experiences that can ameliorate the deleterious effects of brain damage.

This Element introduces a biological approach to cognition, which highlights the significance of allostatic regulation and the navigation of challenges and opportunities. It argues that cognition is best understood as a juggling act, which reflects numerous ongoing attempts to minimize disruptions while prioritizing the sources of information that are necessary to satisfy social and biological needs; and it provides a characterization of the architectural constraints, neurotransmitters, and affective states that shape visual perception, as well as the regulatory capacities that sustain flexible patterns of thought and behavior.

Preoperative Events switches the focus from post-operative rehabilitation to preoperative experiences and personal histories to lessen the consequences of brain damage. These papers document the relationship between preoperative experience and postoperative performance and discuss a variety of protective preoperative experiences that can ameliorate the deleterious effects of brain damage.

Every day thousands of individuals need to make critical decisions about their health based on numerical information, yet recent surveys have found that over half the population of the United States is unable to complete basic math problems. How does this lack of numerical ability (also referred to as low numeracy, quantitative illiteracy or statistical illiteracy) impact healthcare? What can be done to help people with low numeracy skills? Numerical Reasoning in Judgments and Decision Making about Health addresses these questions by examining and explaining the impact of quantitative illiteracy on healthcare and in specific healthcare contexts, and discussing what can be done to reduce these healthcare disparities. This book will be a useful resource for professionals in many health fields including academics, policy makers, physicians and other healthcare providers.

After drawing its first breath, every newborn mammal turns his or her complete attention to obtaining milk. This primal act was once thought to stem from a basic fact: milk provides the initial source of calories and nutrients for all mammalian young. But it turns out that milk is a much more complicated biochemical cocktail and provides benefits beyond nutrition. In this fascinating book, biologists Michael L. Power and Jay Schulkin reveal this liquid's evolutionary history and show how its ingredients have changed over many millions of years to become a potent elixir. Power and Schulkin walk readers through the early origins of the mammary gland and describe the incredible diversification of milk among the various mammalian lineages. After revealing the roots of lactation, the authors describe the substances that naturally occur in milk and discuss their biological functions. They reveal that mothers pass along numerous biochemical signals to their babies through milk. The authors explain how milk boosts an infant's immune system, affects an infant's metabolism and physiology, and helps inoculate and feed the baby's gut microbiome. Throughout the book, the authors weave in stories from studies of other species, explaining how comparative research sheds light on human lactation. The authors then turn their attention to the fascinating topic of cross-species milk consumption-something only practiced by certain humans who evolved an ability to retain lactase synthesis into adulthood. The first book to discuss milk from a comparative and evolutionary perspective, Power and Schulkin's masterpiece reveals the rich biological story of the common thread that connects all mammals.

Cognitive Adaptation: A Pragmatist Perspective argues that there is a fundamental link between cognitive/neural systems and evolution that underlies human activity. One important result is that the line between nature and culture and scientific and humanistic inquiry is quite permeable - the two are fairly continuous with each other. Two concepts figure importantly in our human ascent: agency and animacy. The first is the recognition of another person as having beliefs, desires, and a sense of experience. The second term is the recognition of an object as alive, a piece of biology. Both reflect a predilection in our cognitive architecture that is fundamental to an evolving, but fragile, sense of humanity. The book further argues for a regulative norm of self-corrective inquiry, an appreciation of the hypothetical nature of all knowledge. Schulkin's perspective is rooted in contemporary behavioral and cognitive neuroscience.

We have known for over a thousand years that the brain underlies behavioral expression, but effective scientific study of the brain is only very recent. Two things converge in this book: a great respect for neuroscience and its many variations, and a sense of investigation and inquiry demythologized. Think of it as foraging for coherence.

The concept of homeostasis, the maintenance of the internal physiological environment of an organism within tolerable limits, is well established in medicine and physiology. In contrast, allostasis is a relatively new idea of 'viability through change'. With allostatic regulation by cephalic involvement, the body adapts to potentially diverse and dangerous situations through the activation of neural, hormonal, or immunological mechanisms. Allostasis explains how regulatory events maintain organismic viability, or not, in diverse contexts with varying set points of bodily needs and competing motivations. This 2005 book introduces the concept of allostasis and sets it alongside traditional views of homeostasis. It addresses basic regulatory systems and examines the behavior of bodily regulation under duress. The basic concepts of physiological homeostasis are integrated with disorders like depression, stress, anxiety and addiction. It will therefore appeal to graduate students, medical students and researchers working in physiology, epidemiology, endocrinology, neuroendocrinology, neuroscience, and psychology.

Recently, an interest in our understanding of well-being within the context of competition and cooperation has re-emerged within the biological and neural sciences. Given that we are social animals, our well-being is tightly linked to interactions with others. Pro-social behavior establishes and sustains human contact, contributing to well-being. Adaptation and Well-Being is about the evolution and biological importance of social contact. Social sensibility is an essential feature of our central nervous systems, and what have evolved are elaborate behavioral ways in which to sustain and maintain the physiological and endocrine systems that underlie behavioral adaptations. Writing for his fellow academics, and with chapters on evolutionary aspects, chemical messengers and social neuroendocrinology among others, Jay Schulkin explores this fascinating field of behavioral neuroscience.

This volume examines the role of steroids and peptides in the regulation of pregnancy and pregnancy outcome, and their long-term effects including possible influences on adult-onset diseases. During pregnancy the placenta acts as a central regulator and coordinator of maternal and fetal physiology, and the onset of labor, through its production and regulation of steroids and peptides. Perturbations to this regulatory system can result in poor pregnancy outcome, such as preterm birth and low birth weight. These in turn are linked to diseases in later life. Intriguingly, many of these regulatory actions of steroids and peptides also occur in the brain. The induction and suppression of peptides by steroids appears to be key to regulatory function in both brain and placenta. These interweaving strands, linking basic science with obstetrics, are all reviewed in depth here producing a fascinating account of an important area of materno-fetal medicine.

Since 2005 a dozen states and more than 15 specialties have reported a physician shortage or anticipate one in the next few years. This anticipated shortage and a worsening of physician distribution are compounded by a projected increased demand for women's healthcare services.

Women's healthcare is particularly vulnerable, because the obstetrician-gynecologist workforce is aging and is among the least satisfied medical specialists. Furthermore, fellowship training in women's healthcare in internal medicine and in maternal child health in family and community medicine involves only a small portion of general internists and family physicians.

In response to this challenge, the Association of American Medical Colleges called for an expansion of medical schools and graduate medical education enrollments. As we cope with significant and rapid changes in organizations and reimbursement, academic departments of obstetrics and gynecology, family and community medicine, and internal medicine have opportunities to create a unified women's health curriculum for undergraduate students, share preventive health and well-woman expertise in training programs, provide improved continuity of care, instill concepts of lifelong learning to our graduates, and better develop our research programs.

This volume's chapters focus on strategic planning on behalf of academic faculty who will train the anticipated additional load of students, residents, and fellows in women's healthcare.
-changing demographics of faculty
-expanding roles of clinician educators
-physician investigators and their future
-the hidden value of part-time faculty
-faculty salaries
-required skillsets of academic leaders
-the meaning of tenure and faculty satisfaction and retention.

Recommendations presented here from authors with distinguished leadership skills indicate a consensus, but not unanimity. In furthering these goals, we summarize in the final chapter our collective expertise and offer ways to implement recommendations to better prepare for tomorrow's needs in academic women's healthcare.

Naturalism and Pragmatism offers reflections on the pragmatic tradition from a fresh perspective: that of a working neuroscientist. Though naturalism and evolution are not the only topics of discussions, they are important themes of the book. Both pragmatism and modern behavioral science grew up in the wake of Darwin's theory of evolution. Indeed it is impossible to imagine either without evolutionary theory and the more general nineteenth-century trend of naturalism from which modern evolutionary theory emerged. And yet, for a variety of reasons, these common origins have not ensured a close affinity between pragmatic philosophy and the behavioral sciences. Among the wide diversity of scientific theories of human cognition and its evolutionary origins, only a few are congenial to pragmatism in its original or classical' form, which embraces the full range of human experience

Since 2005 a dozen states and more than 15 specialties have reported a physician shortage or anticipate one in the next few years. This anticipated shortage and a worsening of physician distribution are compounded by a projected increased demand for women's healthcare services.

Women's healthcare is particularly vulnerable, because the obstetrician-gynecologist workforce is aging and is among the least satisfied medical specialists. Furthermore, fellowship training in women's healthcare in internal medicine and in maternal child health in family and community medicine involves only a small portion of general internists and family physicians.

In response to this challenge, the Association of American Medical Colleges called for an expansion of medical schools and graduate medical education enrollments. As we cope with significant and rapid changes in organizations and reimbursement, academic departments of obstetrics and gynecology, family and community medicine, and internal medicine have opportunities to create a unified women's health curriculum for undergraduate students, share preventive health and well-woman expertise in training programs, provide improved continuity of care, instill concepts of lifelong learning to our graduates, and better develop our research programs.

This volume's chapters focus on strategic planning on behalf of academic faculty who will train the anticipated additional load of students, residents, and fellows in women's healthcare.
-changing demographics of faculty
-expanding roles of clinician educators
-physician investigators and their future
-the hidden value of part-time faculty
-faculty salaries
-required skillsets of academic leaders
-the meaning of tenure and faculty satisfaction and retention.

Recommendations presented here from authors with distinguished leadership skills indicate a consensus, but not unanimity. In furthering these goals, we summarize in the final chapter our collective expertise and offer ways to implement recommendations to better prepare for tomorrow's needs in academic women's healthcare.

The decision making process that underlies ovarian hormone therapy (HT) is fallible. Thus, the decision for women to go on HT remains controversial. At a time when confusion still permeates the decision making with regard to HT, this book bridges diverse features that surround the decision making concerning HT. The book is written for both specialists and generalists in the field.

The hunger for sodium has been used as a model system in which to study how the brain produces motivated behaviour. In this account of the field Jay Schulkin draws together information across a range of disciplines and topics, ranging from the ecology of salt ingestion to the sodium molecule and the action of various hormones. The phenomenon of sodium hunger was discovered by Curt Richter, the great American psychobiologist, over 50 years ago. Its study has been of interest for some time: to naturalists, psychologists, endocrinologists, physiologists and neuroscientists. This book offers a systematic account of the behaviour of the sodium hungry animal, the endocrine and physiological mechanisms that act to maintain sodium balance and then act on the brain to promote the search for and the ingestion of salt. Finally, the book provides a description of a neural network that orchestrates the behaviour of salt seeking and salt ingestion. Graduate students and research workers in psychology, physiology and neuroscience will find valuable information in this review.

This volume examines the role of steroids and peptides in the regulation of pregnancy and pregnancy outcome, and their long-term effects including possible influences on adult-onset diseases. During pregnancy the placenta acts as a central regulator and coordinator of maternal and fetal physiology, and the onset of labor, through its production and regulation of steroids and peptides. Perturbations to this regulatory system can result in poor pregnancy outcome, such as preterm birth and low birth weight. These in turn are linked to diseases in later life. Intriguingly, many of these regulatory actions of steroids and peptides also occur in the brain. The induction and suppression of peptides by steroids appears to be key to regulatory function in both brain and placenta. These various interweaving strands, linking basic science with obstetrics, are all reviewed in depth here producing a fascinating account of an important area of materno-fetal medicine.

This book brings together the behavioral, physiological, and neuroendocrine regulation of calcium. An understanding of how the brain orchestrates whole-body demands for calcium is introduced. The approach is one in which behavior in addition to physiology serves bodily maintenance. The book links basic and clinical literature surrounding calcium homeostasis, as a wide variety of clinical syndromes are tied to calcium metabolism. Because calcium is so important during life stages particular to women, an emphasis is placed on the relevance of calcium to women's health throughout the book, though not exclusively since calcium is fundamental to both sexes.

This book brings together the behavioral, physiological, and neuroendocrine regulation of calcium. An understanding of how the brain orchestrates whole-body demands for calcium is introduced. The approach is one in which behavior in addition to physiology serves bodily maintenance. The book links basic and clinical literature surrounding calcium homeostasis, as a wide variety of clinical syndromes are tied to calcium metabolism. Because calcium is so important during life stages particular to women, an emphasis is placed on the relevance of calcium to women's health throughout the book, though not exclusively since calcium is fundamental to both sexes.

This text discusses the important role of steroids and neuropeptides in the regulation of behavior. The guiding principle behind the discussion is the concept of using good model animal systems to help us to understand how hormones influence the brain. The book emphasizes that steroids, and peptides or neuropeptides affect behavior by acting directly on the brain, and that common neural circuits underlie a variety of different central motive states. The first chapter focuses on developmental periods and sexually dimorphic behaviors; the second discusses sodium and water appetite, and ingestion; the third deals with appetite, food selection and ingestion. The fourth chapter examines how hormones influence parental behavior; the fifth is on fear and stress. The last chapter deals with biological clocks and endogenous rhythms. Senior undergraduate and graduate students in neuroscience, endocrinology, and physiology will find this text a useful guide to the role of hormones in behavior.

This reference discusses the important role of steroids and neuropeptides in the regulation of behavior. The guiding principle behind the discussion is the concept of using good model animal systems to help us to understand how hormones influence the brain. The book emphasizes that steroids and peptides or neuropeptides affect behavior by acting directly on the brain, and that common neural circuits underlie a variety of different central motive states. The first chapter focuses on developmental periods and sexually dimorphic behaviors; the second discusses sodium and water appetite, and ingestion; the third deals with appetite, food selection and ingestion. The fourth chapter examines how hormones influence parental behavior; the fifth is on fear and stress. The last chapter deals with biological clocks and endogenous rhythms.

The human brain is the most complex object in the known universe. The field of neuroscience has made remarkable strides in recent years in understanding aspects of the brain, yet we still struggle with seemingly fundamental questions about how the brain works. What lessons can we learn from neuroscience's successes and failures? What kinds of questions can neuroscience answer, and what will remain out of reach? In The Brain in Context, the bioethicist Jonathan D. Moreno and the neuroscientist Jay Schulkin provide an accessible and thought-provoking account of the evolution of neuroscience and the neuroscience of evolution. They emphasize that the brain is not an isolated organ-it extends into every part of the body and every aspect of human life. Understanding the brain requires studying the environmental, biological, chemical, genetic, and social factors that continue to shape it. Moreno and Schulkin describe today's transformative devices, theories, and methods, including technologies like fMRI and optogenetics as well as massive whole-brain activity maps and the attempt to create a digital simulation of the brain. They show how theorizing about the brain and experimenting with it often go hand in hand, and they raise cautions about unintended consequences of technological interventions. The Brain in Context is a stimulating and even-handed assessment of the scope and limits of what we know about how we think.

The hunger for sodium has been used as a model system in which to study how the brain produces motivated behaviour. In this account of the field Jay Schulkin draws together information across a range of disciplines and topics, ranging from the ecology of salt ingestion to the sodium molecule and the action of various hormones. The phenomenon of sodium hunger was discovered by Curt Richter, the great American psychobiologist, over 50 years ago. Its study has been of interest for some time: to naturalists, psychologists, endocrinologists, physiologists and neuroscientists. This book offers a systematic account of the behaviour of the sodium hungry animal, the endocrine and physiological mechanisms that act to maintain sodium balance and then act on the brain to promote the search for and the ingestion of salt. Finally, the book provides a description of a neural network that orchestrates the behaviour of salt seeking and salt ingestion. Graduate students and research workers in psychology, physiology and neuroscience will find valuable information in this review.