Manter and Gatz's Essentials of Clinical Neuroanatomy and Neurophysiology, 9th ed.

Gilman S, Newman SW. Philadelphia, PA 19103, FA Davis Co, 1996, paperback, 309 pp, illus, $26.95.

The purpose of this book is to provide a short but comprehensive survey of the human nervous system and to present it in a clinically oriented format that summarizes much of the material found in more comprehensive textbooks. For the past 38 years, this book in its various editions has succeeded in accomplishing this purpose. The current edition has been revised both in appearance and content. This edition is slightly larger than previous editions. The blue highlighting color and the choice of fonts make the book easier to read. A new chapter, "Chemical Neuroanatomy," has been added and covers important points regarding the various neurotransmitters. In addition, other chapters--"The Basal Ganglia" and "Optic Reflexes and Eye Movements"--have been slightly modified and brought up to date.

This book is both remarkably comprehensive and well organized. It should be noted that this book is different from other neurobiology books in that it is condensed, lacking much of the prose that is often used to introduce new terms and concepts. The book is quite readable. In addition, it should be noted that the text contains information regarding a variety of neurological pathologies.

This reviewer found only two impediments, one minor and one major. The minor impediment was that the suggested readings are listed at the end of the book rather than at the end of each chapter. The major impediment was that the quality of the figures was inconsistent. Most of the figures consisted of simple one- and two-color line drawings, sometimes with shading and shading-keys, and although many of these figures were quite good, especially those depicting the ascending (sensory) and descending (motor) pathways, a few figures were either ineffective or a complete disaster. In Figure 41, for example, each of the seven shading-keys appear solid black. Consequently, the figure is essentially meaningless. It also would have been better if some photographs of actual brain material had been incorporated so that the book would not be perceived as being overly cartoonish.

This is a very nice book and, for physical therapy students at any level, this book should be considered a valuable resource for neuroscience courses, especially if a shortage of reading time is a serious concern. Even more, this book is recommended as a reference tool for any physical therapist who treats patients with neurological problems and would provide a quick and effective guide for reviewing concepts related to specific neurological pathologies.

SG Patrick Hardy, PhD, PT University of Mississippi Medical Center Jackson, Miss

Dr Hardy is Associate Professor in the physical therapy program, where he teaches neuroanatomy and gross anatomy. He also conducts basic neuroscience research involving cortical and subcortical influences on cardiovascular functions.