Executive Functions in Health and Disease provides a comprehensive review of both healthy and disordered executive function. It discusses what executive functions are, what parts of the brain are involved, what happens when they go awry in cases of dementia, ADHD, psychiatric disorders, traumatic injury, developmental disorders, cutting edge methods for studying executive functions and therapies for treating executive function disorders. It will appeal to neuropsychologists, clinical psychologists, neuroscientists and researchers in cognitive psychology.

Best known as a founding father of neuropsychology, Luria is remembered for his clinical approach, which in many ways foreshadowed and served as the basis for the currently popular "process approach" to neuropsychological diagnosis. Although he never completed the job of designing a general theory of brain- behavioral relations, he nonetheless contributed mightily to the ongoing effort to develop one, and to the emergence of neuropsychology as a mature science. Written by professionals who either knew Alexandr Romanovich Luria personally or experienced his scientific influence, the topics examined in this volume reflect the expanse of his interests and contributions.

Best known as a founding father of neuropsychology, Luria is remembered for his clinical approach, which in many ways foreshadowed and served as the basis for the currently popular "process approach" to neuropsychological diagnosis. Although he never completed the job of designing a general theory of brain- behavioral relations, he nonetheless contributed mightily to the ongoing effort to develop one, and to the emergence of neuropsychology as a mature science. Written by professionals who either knew Alexandr Romanovich Luria personally or experienced his scientific influence, the topics examined in this volume reflect the expanse of his interests and contributions.

What is the nature of human creativity? What are the brain processes behind its mystique? What are the evolutionary roots of creativity? How does culture help shape individual creativity? Creativity: The Human Brain in the Age of Innovation by Elkhonon Goldberg is arguably the first ever book to address these and other questions in a way that is both rigorous and engaging, demystifying human creativity for the general public. The synthesis of neuroscience and the humanities is a unique feature of the book, making it of interest to an unusually broad range of readership. Drawing on a number of cutting-edge discoveries from brain research as well as on his own insights as a neuroscientist and neuropsychologist, Goldberg integrates them with a wide-ranging discussion of history, culture, and evolution to arrive at an original, compelling, and at times provocative understanding of the nature of human creativity. To make his argument, Goldberg discusses the origins of language, the nature of several neurological disorders, animal cognition, virtual reality, and even artificial intelligence. In the process, he takes the reader to different times and places, from antiquity to the future, and from Western Europe to South-East Asia. He makes bold predictions about the future directions of creativity and innovation in society, their multiple biological and cultural roots and expressions, about how they will shape society for generations to come, and even how they will change the ways the human brain develops and ages.

This is a collection of essays by leading neuropsychologists and cognitive neuroscientists to honor Alexander Romanovich Luria and to highlight the enduring impact of his legacy on cognitive neuroscience and clinical neuropsychology. A wide range of topics is covered, from functional neuroimaging in neuropsychology to bedside evaluation techniques. Several generations of neuropsychologists and cognitive neuroscientists are among contributors, including those who closely worked with Luria, their own students, and others influenced in their work by Luria's pioneering insights.

Elkhonon Goldberg's groundbreaking The Executive Brain was a classic of scientific writing, revealing how the frontal lobes command the most human parts of the mind. Now he offers a completely new book, providing fresh, iconoclastic ideas about the relationship between the brain and the mind.
In The New Executive Brain, Goldberg paints a sweeping panorama of cutting-edge thinking in cognitive neuroscience and neuropsychology, one that ranges far beyond the frontal lobes. Drawing on the latest discoveries, and developing complex scientific ideas and relating them to real life through many fascinating case studies and anecdotes, the author explores how the brain engages in complex decision-making; how it deals with novelty and ambiguity; and how it addresses moral choices. At every step, Goldberg challenges entrenched assumptions. For example, we know that the left hemisphere of the brain is the seat of language--but Goldberg argues that language may not be the central adaptation of the left hemisphere. Apes lack language, yet many also show evidence of asymmetric hemispheric development. Goldberg also finds that a complex interaction between the frontal lobes and the amygdale--between a recently evolved and a much older part of the brain--controls emotion, as conscious thoughts meet automatic impulses. The author illustrates this observation with a personal example: the difficulty he experienced when trying to pick up a baby alligator he knew to be harmless, as his amygdala battled his effort to extend his hand.
In the years since the original Executive Brain, Goldberg has remained at the front of his field, constantly challenging orthodoxy. In this revised and expanded edition, he affirms his place as one of our most creative and insightful scientists, offering lucid writing and bold, paradigm-shifting ideas.

"Using charts, drawings, and up-to-date scientific studies, they present the case that any brain, at any age, can change for the better...The authors suggest myriad activities to help the process along...(This is) A stimulating, challenging resource, full of solid information and practical tips for improving brain health." -Kirkus Reviews

Modern life places extraordinary demands on our brains. Not only do we live longer than ever before, but we must constantly adapt to complex and rapidly evolving personal and professional realities. Yet, we often ignore our most precious resource to do so: our brain.

The SharpBrains Guide to Brain Fitness cuts through the clutter of misconceptions, superficial and conflicting media coverage, and aggressive marketing claims, to help readers discover what really works, and what doesn't, to improve brain health and performance at any age, to delay or prevent cognitive decline, and become smarter consumers of both media coverage and scientific research in the process.

With useful, pragmatic and personalized tips and suggestions that are easy to implement, the SharpBrains Guide offers a groundbreaking new approach for self-assessing current brain fitness needs and identifying the most relevant and evidence-based methods to preserve and enhance brain function throughout life. Whether your goal is to become more resilient, enhance memory, ward off Alzheimer's disease, or simply improve mental focus to perform better at work, this how-to guide shows you exactly how to "use it or lose it."

This new and much-expanded edition of the guide AARP named a Best Book on Brain Fitness combines a user-friendly tutorial on how the brain works with advice on how to choose and integrate lifestyle changes and research-based brain training. Featuring an independent analysis of hundreds of scientific studies published in the last 10 years, the book also includes in-depth interviews with 20 leading scientists who often challenge conventional wisdom and prevailing brain health thinking and care.

A thought-provoking, practical and captivating read, the SharpBrains Guide makes the fascinating and complex subject of brain function and neuroplasticity easy to digest with its common sense approach. It's time to rethink, and to truly apply, "use it or lose it."

PRAISE FOR THE BOOK

"One of those books you cannot ignore. Insightful, to the point, actionable. A book for leaders, innovators, thought provokers and everyone who wants to act and live smarter and healthier, based on latest neuroscience." -Dr. Tobias Kiefer, Director Global Learning & Development, Booz & Company

"A great start for making sense new brain science and for taking active steps towards smart health, at the individual level, and Smart Health, at the societal level." -Misha Pavel, PhD, Program Director for the National Science Foundation's Smart Health and Wellbeing Program

"This is the book you need to begin to think differently about your brain and actively embrace the exciting and promising reality that your brain's health is the cause of the century." -Sandra Bond Chapman, PhD, Founder and Chief Director, UT-Dallas' Center for BrainHealth

"An essential reference on the field of brain fitness, neuroplasticity and cognitive health" -Walter Jessen, PhD, founder and editor, Highlight Health

"A much-needed resource to help us better understand our brains and minds and how to nourish them through life." -Susan E. Hoffman, Director, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UC Berkeley

aImpressive. . . Wide-ranging. . . . "The Wisdom Paradox" makes a compelling case for the possibility of maintaining a sharp mind far into old age.a
aKENNETH SILBER, "SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN MIND"
"The Wisdom Paradox" explores the aging of the mind from a unique, positive perspective. In an era of increasing fears about mental deterioration, world-renowned neuropsychologist Elkhonon Goldberg provides startling new evidence that though the brain diminishes in some tasks as it ages, it gains in many ways. Most notably, it increases in what he terms awisdoma: the ability to draw upon knowledge and experience gained over a lifetime to make quick and effective decisions. Goldberg delves into the machinery of the mind, separating memory into two distinct types: singular (knowledge of a particular incident or fact) and generic (recognition of broader patterns). As the brain ages, the ability to use singular memory declines, but generic memory is unaffectedaand its importance grows. As an individual accumulates generic memory, the brain can increasingly rely upon these stored patterns to solve problems effortlessly and instantaneously. Goldberg investigates the neurobiology of wisdom, and draws on historical examples of artists and leaders whose greatest achievements were realized late in life.
Praise for "The Wisdom Paradox: "
aGood news: Our brains can and do improve with age. The evidence Goldberg presents is thorough and indisputable . . . Informative and entertaining.a
aDiane Stressing, "The Plain Dealer" (Cleveland)
a[A] graceful exposition of the latest findings in developmental neuropsychology, brain mapping, and computational neuroscience. . . Goldberg overturns stale assumptions about the different functions of the two sides of the brain and about the roles of the frontal lobes. . . It is still cheering, in an era that worships youth, to be reminded that age can bring its own intellectual gifts.a
aEmma Crichton-Miller, "The Telegraph" (London)
a"The Wisdom Paradox" is unusually easy and enjoyable to read for a book loaded with information and ideas about the brain. . . [Goldberg] is a gifted explicator and a talented writer.a
a"Cerebrum"
aA book of wise reflections on the gains, not the losses, that come to the older human mind. Here is a valuable addition to the literature on aging.a
aANTONIO R. DAMASIO, AUTHOR OF "DESCARTESa ERROR, THE FEELING OF WHAT HAPPENS," AND "LOOKING FOR SPINOZA"

Sabia usted que hoy se crearan varios miles de neuronas nuevas en su cerebro? Y que lo que haga, piense y sienta hoy determinara tanto la supervivencia como el efecto de esas nuevas neuronas, y de las que ya tenia antes? Estos son algunos de los temas que aborda "Como invertir en su cerebro," el nuevo libro que recorre las ultimas tendencias de un campo tan apasionante e importante como la ciencia del cerebro y la neuroplasticidad.

Todos sabemos que debemos invertir en nuestra salud, en nuestra educacion, en nuestra carrera profesional o en nuestros planes de ahorro. Pero pocos sabemos por que invertir, y como, en nuestro recurso mas importante: el cerebro. Para llenar ese vacio, "Como invertir en su cerebro" proporciona al lector una guia estimulante y practica, llena de informacion contrastada y consejos personalizados, para mejorar el rendimiento actual y futuro de su cerebro, enriqueciendo asi su mente y su vida.

Cualquiera que sea su objetivo, como el manejar mejor su estres cotidiano, aumentar su atencion y memoria, demostrar un mejor desempeno en el trabajo o retrasar problemas cognitivos como la enfermedad de Alzheimer, esta obra le explicara al detalle como pasar de la teoria a la practica, combinando un entendimiento general con unas pautas especificas.

"Como invertir en su cerebro: Una guia SharpBrains para mejorar su mente y su vida" es la primera publicacion en espanol de SharpBrains, una organizacion reconocida a nivel internacional que investiga como mejorar la salud, la educacion y la formacion a traves de la ciencia del cerebro y la innovacion. El libro se basa en un analisis objetivo de cientos de estudios cientificos publicados en los ultimos diez anos y en decenas de entrevistas en profundidad con distinguidos cientificos. Ademas "Como invertir en su cerebro" refleja las conclusiones de varias cumbres organizadas por SharpBrains desde el ano 2010, con centenares de expertos de primer nivel.

Si alguna vez ha invertido usted en su bienestar fisico, en su formacion academica, en su matrimonio, en sus amistades o en su vivienda, quiza ahora sea el momento de preguntarse como puede invertir en su cerebro.

Este libro sera su mejor guia.

Elogios

"Una lectura estimulante y un reto al mismo tiempo, con informacion solida y consejos practicos para mejorar la salud de nuestro cerebro." - Kirkus Reviews

"Una referencia esencial." - Dr. Walter Jesssen, Fundador y Editor, Highlight Health

"Un recurso imprescindible para ayudarnos a entender mejor nuestro cerebro y nuestra mente." - Susan E. Hoffman, Directora, UC Berkeley Osher Lifelong Learning Institute

..".el mejor analisis sobre las implicaciones de la neurociencia para el desarrollo personal y profesional." - Ed Batista, Experto en Liderazgo, Escuela Superior de Negocios de la Universidad de Stanford

" Gracias Este libro esta lleno de informacion de primera clase y de consejos practicos." - Dr. Elizabeth Edgerly, Jefe de Programas de la Alzheimer's Association