Contents

PREFACE

PART ONE Cellular Neurobiology: The Nuts and Bolts

CHAPTER 1 The Uniqueness of the Brain

Cells of the Brain: Neurons and Glia

How Special Are Neurons?

Brain Organization

Development of the Brain

CHAPTER 2 Brain Signals

Electricity and the Brain

Cell Resting Potentials

Neuronal Signaling

Transmission Down Axons

Synapses

Synaptic Mechanisms

Vulnerability of Synapses

A Synaptic Disease: Myasthenia Gravis

CHAPTER 3 Neuromodulation, Drugs, and the Brain

Neurotransmitters and Neuromodulators

Classifying Synaptic Substances

Dopamine, Parkinson’s Disease, and Schizophrenia

Serotonin and Depression

Neuropeptides: The Enkephalins—Endogenous Opiates

CHAPTER 4 Sensing the World

Mechanoreceptors: Touch and Hearing

Adaptation

Hair Cells and Audition

Second-Messenger Receptors: Olfactory and Visual

Discrimination of Odors

Vision

Phototransduction

PART TWO Systems Neuroscience: Getting at Behaviors

CHAPTER 5 Simpler Nervous Systems: The Invertebrates

Electrical Signaling and the Squid Giant Axon

Mach Bands and the Horseshoe Crab Eye

Learning, Memory, and a Sea Snail

Circadian Rhythms, Behavioral Genetics, and Flies

CHAPTER 6 Vertebrate Brains

The Central Nervous System

Spinal Cord

The Brain

Medulla and Pons

Hypothalamus

Cerebellum

Thalamus

Basal Ganglia

Cerebral Cortex

CHAPTER 7 Vision: Window to the Brain

Early Processing of Visual Information: The Retina

Next Stages of Visual Processing: The Primary Visual Cortex

Formation of Cortical Receptive Fields

Seeing Depth: Binocular Interactions

Cortical Organization: The Hypercolumn

PART THREE Cognitive Science: Higher Brain Function and Mind

CHAPTER 8 From Brain to Mind: Visual Perception

Area V2 and Higher Visual Areas

Face Recognition

Overview of Visual Processing

Visual Perception

Modulation of Cortical Responses

CHAPTER 9 The Dynamic Brain: Development and Plasticity

Migration and Differentiation of Neurons

How Do Axons Find Their Way?

The Maturing Brain

Visual System Development and Deprivation

Plasticity of the Adult Cortex

CHAPTER 10 Language and Brain Imaging

Learning Language

Birdsong

Language Areas in Humans

Exploring the Human Brain

Brain Imaging

CHAPTER 11 Remembering Things: Learning and Memory

Synaptic Mechanisms Underlying LTP

Long-Term LTP

LTP and Memory

Short-Term Memory

Working Memory

Accuracy of Memories

CHAPTER 12 The Emotional Brain: Rationality

The Amygdala

Hypothalamus

The Autonomic Nervous System

Reinforcing Behaviors

Orbitofrontal Cortex

Rationality

CHAPTER 13 Consciousness

Sleep

Dreaming

Control of Sleep and Arousal

Consciousness and Awareness

The Future

Artificial Intelligence

GLOSSARY

FURTHER READING

INDEX