Brain Physiology

An astonishing new science called neuroplasticity is overthrowing the centuries-old notion that the human brain is immutable. Psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, Norman Doidge, MD, traveled the country to meet both the brilliant scientists championing neuroplasticity and the people whose lives they've transformed - people whose mental limitations or brain damage were seen as unalterable.

Brain: An Owner's Guide is an informative and practical guide to all aspects of brain health, from maximising your mental wellbeing today to protecting your brain against future serious health issues. Leading neuroscientist Elizabeth Ricker explains how the brain works, how you can look after and protect your brain, and explains what you can do to improve your memory and concentration at any age.

Without muscles, we would not be able to move. Muscles keep our digestive system working too, and our heart is a large muscle that works all the time. This book looks at how muscles, tendons, and nerves all work together to help us move every part of our body.

Conventional science has long held the position that 'the mind' is merely an illusion, a side effect of electrochemical activity in the physical brain. Now in paperback, Dr Jeffrey Schwartz and Sharon Begley's groundbreaking work, The Mind and the Brain, argues exactly the opposite: that the mind has a life of its own. Dr Schwartz, a leading researcher in brain dysfunctions, and Wall Street Journal science columnist Sharon Begley demonstrate that the human mind is an independent entity that can shape and control the functioning of the physical brain.

We’ve all heard the phrase “it’s not brain surgery.” But what exactly is brain surgery? It’s a profession that is barely a hundred years old and profoundly connects two human beings, but few know how it works, or its history. In this warm, rigorous, and deeply insightful book, Dr. Theodore H. Schwartz explores what it’s like to hold the scalpel, wield the drill, extract a tumor, fix a bullet hole, and remove a blood clot—when every second can mean life or death.

In 1848 Vermont, railroad foreman Phineas Gage sat above a hole, preparing to blast through some granite. A 13-pound iron rod fell from his hands into the hole, triggering the explosion and sending the rod straight through Phineas' head. Thirty minutes after this terrible accident, Phineas sat on the steps of a hotel, patiently waiting for the town doctor to arrive. He chatted with his amazed coworkers as if nothing had happened. But something terrible had happened.

Taking listeners on an in-depth exploration of movement and music, from early humans up until today, the authors show the proven benefits of dance for our heart, lungs, bones, nervous system, and brain. Listeners will come away with a wide range of dances to try and a scientific understanding of how dance benefits almost every aspect of our lives.

Are we "noble in reason"? Perfect, in God's image? Far from it, says New York University psychologist Gary Marcus. In this lucid and revealing book, Marcus argues that the mind is not an elegantly designed organ but a "kluge", a clumsy, cobbled-together contraption. He unveils a fundamentally new way of looking at the human mind - think duct tape, not supercomputer - that sheds light on some of the most mysterious aspects of human nature.

An astonishing new scientific discovery called neuroplasticity is overthrowing the centuries-old notion that the adult human brain is fixed and unchanging. It is, instead, able to change its own structure and function, even into old age. In this revolutionary look at the brain, psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Norman Doidge, M.D., provides an introduction to both the brilliant scientists championing neuroplasticity and the people whose lives they’ve transformed.

How do brain impulses translate into a state of mind? This Q & A explores the science of the brain and gives an insight into feelings and abilities.

A pioneering exploration of olfaction that upsets settled notions of how the brain translates sensory information.

"Dreams Explored: A Comprehensive Guide to Interpretation and Analysis" is a thought-provoking and comprehensive exploration of the intricate world of dreams and their profound impact on human history, culture, relationships, and personal growth. This meticulously researched and engaging book delves into a wide range of topics related to dreams and dream analysis, offering readers a multifaceted understanding of the role dreams have played in shaping our lives. The book begins by tracing the historical significance of dreams, shedding light on how different cultures and societies across the...

The brain is your body's control center. It collects signals from your senses, thinks and decides, and sends signals that tell your body what to do. Each part of the brain has a special job, and they all work together as you think.

An introduction to the parts of the brain and how they function. Thoughts and feelings, movements, and brain injuries are discussed.

We’re Full of Plastic is a deep dive into one of the most urgent and overlooked environmental and health crises of our time: the invasion of microplastics into the human body. According to a landmark study, the average person may ingest up to 5 grams of plastic each week—roughly the size of a credit card. Drawing on cutting-edge scientific studies, this eye-opening book reveals how plastic pollution is no longer just a problem for oceans and landfills—it's a problem inside us.

Brains don't look like much, do they? A touch of slime here, some squishy grey stuff there. But in fact, your brain is more powerful than any supercomputer, and it is completely fascinating. Have you ever wondered why you're left-handed? Or why you have dreams? Or what causes pins and needles? I'll tell you what else: your brain is completely unique. That's right: no one else has a brain quite like yours. So if you want to learn how to make the most of your brain, this is the book for you.

How do we keep up in the face of AI? How do we nurture our children's brains so they have the resilience to thrive during the coming wave of technological and societal change? AI is going to push the skills that make us most human—skills like curiosity, compassion, communication, courage, and creativity—to the center of our working lives. We should lean into our collaborative skills, our evolving 'hive mind', our ability to intuit and to think long-term, to adapt and to focus.

Your brain is unique. Your brain is creative. Your brain is beautiful! Explore alongside Shawn "The Creative Kid" and his family as they discover the parts of your brain and the wondrous things it can do. Since this is the decade of the brain, it’s time for kids and grownups alike to learn, celebrate, and implement the unlimited possibilities of the brain, mind, and body connection.

Get ready for the exploration of a lifetime. Inventory of the Universe whisks you from the original elementary particles in the confines of 14 billion years of outer space through Earth's protective atmosphere, zips down to our lush livable home-base globe, plunges into the absorbing aqueous kingdom of water, darts onto hospitable terra firma with its exotic flora, oftentimes bizarre fauna and you and me, probably the most extraordinary and enigmatic beings on earth with our handy multi-functional bodies, intelligent, thinking (sometimes) brains and imaginative (sometimes a little too much)...