The Human Nervous System: Introduction and Review, 4th ed.

The Human Nervous System, introduction and Review, ed 4 Noback CR, Strominger NL, Demarestjr. Malvern, PA 19355-9725, Lea & Febiger, 1991, paperback, 448 pp, illus, $34.50.

This texthook was intended to serve the needs of medical, dental, and allied health students. It approaches the nervous system primarily from a regional viewpoint, but also includes a systems approach when necessary, as in discussing the motorsystem as a whole. The primary, emphasis is on neuroanatomy, giving less coverage to neurophysiology. For example, the book describes the structure of the muscle spindle, but does not provide sufficient discussion of its function in both postural and voluntary, movement control.

For this edition, a new chapter has been added covering neurotransmitters. I also found the section on ion channel gating to be particularly current. Each chapter ends with an up-to-date bibliography, although the bibliography, is not referenced by the text.

I found the level of the writing appropriate. It succeeds in providing the necessary, anatomical information about each region without getting lost in excessive detail, making this hook more suitable for students than are some other neuroanatomy texts, such as Carpenter's Core Text of Neuroanatomy.

The illustrations are abundant and clear, created by the same illustrator who contributed to the Carpenter text. I found them to be a great asset, particularly in understanding neural pathways. There are no illustrations, however, of clinical diagnostic images, as from CAT scans or arteriograms.

I can recommend this textbook for use in graduate-level physical therap), neuroanatomy courses. The functional correlates section in most chapters provides students with an introduction to clinical syndromes associated with lesions in each region of the nervous system. The book also would be useful as a reference for neuroscientists. I doubt, however, that it would be of interest to most physical therapy clinicians.

Marjorie Moore, Phd, PT

Univ of Rhode Island 

Kingston, RI