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The development of a brain from its simple beginnings in the embryo
to the extraordinarily complex fully-functional adult structure is
a truly remarkable process. Understanding how it occurs remains a
formidable challenge despite enormous advances over the last
century and current intense world-wide scientific research. A
greater knowledge of how nervous systems construct themselves will
bring huge benefits for human health and future technologies.
Unravelling the mechanisms that lead to the development of healthy
brains should help scientists tackle currently incurable diseases
of the nervous system such as autism, epilepsy and schizophrenia
(to name but a few), discover more about the processes that cause
the uncontrolled growth associated with cancer and develop possible
treatments. Building Brains provides a highly visual and readily
accessible introduction to the main events that occur during neural
development and the mechanisms by which they occur. Aimed at
undergraduate students and postgraduates new to the field, who may
not have a background in neuroscience and/or molecular genetics, it
explains how cells in the early embryo first become neural, how
their proliferation is controlled, what regulates the types of
neural cells they become, how neurons connect to each other, how
these connections are later refined under the influence of neural
activity including that arising from experience, and why some
neurons normally die. Key Features: * A concise illustrated guide
focusing on the core elements of current understanding of neural
development, emphasising common principles underlying developmental
mechanisms and supplemented by suggestions for further reading. *
Text boxes throughout provide further detail on selected major
advances, issues of particular uncertainty or controversy and
examples of human diseases that result from abnormal development. *
A balanced mammalian/non-mammalian perspective, drawing on examples
from model organisms including the fruit fly, nematode worm, frog,
zebrafish, chick, mouse, ferret, cat, monkey and human, and
emphasising mechanisms that are conserved across species. *
Introduces the methods for studying neural development including
genetics, transgenic technologies, advanced microscopy and
computational modeling, allowing the reader to understand the main
evidence underlying research advances. * Student-friendly, full
colour artwork reinforces important concepts; an extensive glossary
and definitions in page margins help readers from different
backgrounds; chapter summaries stress important points and aid
revision. * Associated Website includes a complete set of figures
from the textbook.
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