Watson C., Kirkcaldie M., Paxinos G. The Brain: An Introduction to Functional Neuroanatomy

New York: Academic Press, 2010. — 171 p.The authors of the most cited neuroscience publication, The Rat Brain in Stereotaxic Coordinates, have written this introductory textbook for neuroscience students. The text is clear and concise, and offers an excellent introduction to the essential concepts of neuroscience. Based on contemporary neuroscience research rather than old-style medical school neuroanatomy Thorough treatment of motor and sensory systems A detailed chapter on human cerebral cortex The neuroscience of consciousness, memory, emotion, brain injury, and mental illness A comprehensive chapter on brain development A summary of the techniques of brain research A detailed glossary of neuroscience terms Illustrated with over 130 color photographs and diagrams This book will inspire and inform students of neuroscience. It is designed for beginning students in the health sciences, including psychology, nursing, biology, and medicine. Based on contemporary neuroscience research rather than old-style medical school neuroanatomy Thorough treatment of motor and sensory systems A detailed chapter on human cerebral cortex The neuroscience of consciousness, memory, emotion, brain injury, and mental illness A comprehensive chapter on brain development A summary of the techniques of brain research A detailed glossary of neuroscience terms Illustrated with over 130 color photographs and diagrams.Neurons and their connections.
Synapses.
Neurotransmitters.
Receptors.
Gap junctions.
Glia.
Microglia.
Computers and nervous systems.
Why study animal brains?
The main parts of the brain.
The dorsolateral aspect of a rodent brain.
A mid-sagittal section of a rodent brain.
The language of brain anatomy.
The spinal cord.
Gray matter of the spinal cord.
White matter of the spinal cord.
Meninges, ventricles, and the circulation of cerebrospinal fluid.
The blood-brain barrier.
Mini-atlas of the rat brain.
The junction of the hindbrain and spinal cord.
The hindbrain at the level of the inferior olive.
The hindbrain at the level of the facial nucleus.
The hindbrain at the level of the upper end of the fourth ventricle.
The brainstem at the level of the midbrain.
The rostral end of the midbrain.
The forebrain at the level of the caudal end of the thalamus.
The forebrain at the level of the internal capsule.
The forebrain at the level of the anterior commissure.
The forebrain at the rostral end of the corpus callosum.
The forebrain at the level of the frontal pole of the cerebrum.
The olfactory bulb.
Sagittal section –mm lateral to the midline.
Sagittal section –mm lateral to the midline.
Motor and sensory nerves.
Somatic and visceral motor and sensory elements.
Spinal nerves.
Cranial nerves.
The optic nerve ().
Cranial nerves with both motor and sensory components–...
The autonomic nervous system.
Sympathetic nervous system.
Enteric nervous system.
Command and control — the motor systems.
Areas of the motor cortex.
Survival skills:the hypothalamus.
Brainstem and spinal cord modules for controlof organized movement.
The role of the cerebellum in motor control.
The roles of the striatumand pallidum in motorcontrol.
The final common pathway for all motor systems–the motor neuron.
Command and control of the viscera–the autonomic nervous system.
Command and control of the neuroendocrine system.
Receptors.
Interpretation and understanding.
Sensory areas in the cerebral cortex.
Vision.
Hearing.
Vestibular system.
Smell.
An example: rolling an ankle.
The cerebral cortex–anatomy and histology.
Cortical neurons.
Cortical layers.
Guiding principles of cortical structure and function.
The functional layout of the human cerebral cortex.
The cerebral cortex and behavior.
Language areas in the cerebral cortex.
Expansion of the cerebral cortex in recent human evolution.
Two minds in one brain?
Memory.
Motor learning.
Structure of the hippocampus.
The effects of stress on the hippocampus.
The role of the cerebral cortex in episodic and semantic memory.
Sleep.
Emotions and the amygdala.
The amygdala and social hierarchy.
Drives and rewards.
Infections of the brain and spinal cord.
Mad cow disease and CJD.
Multiple sclerosis.
Parkinson’s disease.
Alzheimer’s diseaseand dementia.
Brain trauma and brain death.
Mental illness.
Neurotic depression.
Autism.
Frontal lobotomy.
Amygdalectomy.
Electroconvulsive therapy.
Brighter prospects–Transcranial magnetic stimulation.
The development of the brainand spinal cord.
Multiplication of cells in the brain.
Creation of different functional groups of neurons–the proneural genes.
Regional development in the hindbrain.
Organizing centers.
Formation of synapses.
Synapse pruning and nerve cell death.
Critical periods in fetal development.
Neural Plasticity.
Later processes that refine the structure of the brain.
Staining brain sections.
Histochemical staining.
Immunohistochemistry.
Common immunohistochemical markers.
Lectin stains.
Hodology: using tracers to map connections.
Molecular genetics.
Non-invasive imaging techniques.
Functional imaging.
Electrophysiology.
Recording neuronal activity from the skin surface.