Main description:

A stimulating account of interest to all students of neuroscience, psychiatry, psychology or biology - and of immense value to 'first timers' including undergraduates and A-level students. Written by one of the UK's leading brain science experts, it traces the relationship between the ions, membranes and pumps of the brain and our thoughts, senses, feelings, impulses and consciousness.

The book deals with such tantalising questions as: What are the 'locks and keys' of the brain? How does memory work and why do we forget? Why do we sleep, dream, and hopefully wake-up ready to go? How do fears, threats and nightmares penetrate our mental defences, or drugs, alcohol, psychedelics and medicines improve or hinder our thoughts, actions or behaviour? Are our eyes connected to the brain and why do we sometimes see things that aren't there? Or hear 'voices'?

The book also explains how we can 'see inside' the brain, why we sometimes make a fool of ourselves, may have near death experiences and whether epilepsy is an 'affliction of the Gods.' Similarly what scientists know about the differences between delusion and schizophrenia; or the links between worry, anxiety, depression, mania and euphoria. It also covers obsession, stress and repetitive behaviour - just some of many topics dealt with within its revealing pages.

An expert, scientific but simple guide.

Contents:

The Origins of Our Brains - Ions, Membranes and Pumps; Neurotransmitters and their Receptors - The Locks and Keys of Brain Function; The Tower of Complexity - How the Brain is Organized; The Vital Role of Subconscious Processing; How the Cortex Works - Seeing is Believing; Taking Control - From Urges to Self-discipline; Thinking, Feeling and Consciousness; The Emotional Brain; Getting Inside the Head - Surgery to Imaging Techniques; Sleep and Dreams; In Extremis - Near Death Experiences and Vegetative States; Affliction of the Gods? - Epilepsy; Darkness Visible? Depression; Why Worry? Fear and Anxiety Disorders; Delusional? Schizophrenia and Mania; Repetition, Obsession and Compulsion; From Pleasure to Pain? Addiction; Brain and Mind or Brain-v-Mind?; Selected Bibliography; Index.