The Scientific American Book of the Brain: The Best Writing on Consciousness, I.Q. and Intelligence, Perception, Disorders of the Mind, and Much More

Arguably one of the most compelling and elusive territories of scientific research is the landscape of the human brain. From current research on the genetics of intelligence to new evidence being discovered in the battle against Parkinson's disease, the implications of the study of the human brain, and the equally fascinating human mind, are immense. The Scientific American Book of the Brain presents twenty-six cutting-edge articles on current brain research, by some of the biggest names working in the field: Is it true that most creative geniuses are plagued by a kind of madness? Kay Redfield Jamison reveals the link between creativity and mood disorders; are the brains of men and women equal in their capacity to learn and excel at cognitive tasks? Doreen Kimura puts forward scientific evidence that suggests men and women not only differ physically but also use different approaches to solve intellectual problems; how reliable is the human mind when it comes to memory? Elizabeth F. Loftus exposes how imagination and the power of suggestion can create "memories" of events that did not actually occur; why are certain children plagued by Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and what is the solution for such children? Russell A. Barkley posits that ADHD may arise when key brain circuits don't develop properly, perhaps because of an altered gene or genes. Introduced by Antonio R. Damasio and including chapters on mapping the brain; reasoning and intelligence; memory and learning; behavior; disease of the brain and disorder of the mind; and consciousness, The Scientific American Book of the Brain is a stimulating examination of today's most important and often controversial topics inbrain research. (7 X 91/4, 356 pages, color photos, illustrations, charts, graphs)