The fourth edition of "Fundamental Neuroscience" reinvents itself as an engrossing and comprehensive presentation of the discipline of neuroscience, from molecules to cognition. Thorough but succinct, and lavishly illustrated, the book builds from an introductory section that includes fundamental neuroanatomy and goes on to cover cellular and molecular neuroscience, development, sensory systems, motor systems, regulatory systems, and behavioral and cognitive neuroscience. The book has been retooled to better serve its audience in the neuroscience and medical communities.

The chapters include more than 100 boxes describing clinical conditions, techniques, and other special topics. Each chapter went through a thorough review process, giving the book an evenness of tone. The chapters are authored by outstanding working scientists who are experts on the topics they cover.
Selected for inclusion in Doody's Core Titles 2013, an essential collection development tool for health sciences libraries30% new material including new chapters on dendritic development and spine morphogenesis, chemical senses, cerebellum, eye movements, circadian timing, sleep and dreaming, and consciousnessAccompanying website for students and instructorsAdditional text boxes describing key experiments, disorders, methods, and conceptsMore than 650 four-color illustrations, micrographs, and neuroimages Multiple model system coverage beyond rats, mice, and monkeysExtensively expanded index for easier referencing

Studies of simple and emerging systems have been undertaken to un derstand the processes by which a developing system unfolds, and to understand more completely the basis of the complexity of the fully formed structures. The nervous system has long been particularly in triguing for such studies, because of the early recognition of a multitude of distinctly differentiated states exhibited by nerve cells with different morphologies. Anatomical studies suggest that one liver cell may be very like another, but indicate that neurons come in a remarkable di versity of forms. This diversity at the anatomical level has parallels at the physiological and biochemical levels. It is becoming increasingly easy to characterize the different cellular phenotypes of neurons. The repeatability with which these phenotypes are expressed may account in part for the specificity and reliability with which neurons form con nections, and it has allowed precise description of the first appearance and further development of the differentiated characteristics of individ ual neurons from relatively undifferentiated precursor cells. This rep resents a major advance over our knowledge of development at the level of tissues, and makes it feasible to define and address questions about the underlying molecular mechanisms involved. Central to these advances has been the clear recognition that there is no single best preparation for the study of neuronal development. Furthermore, it has become evident that no single technique can tell us all we want to know."