The Three-Pound Enigma: The Human Brain and the Quest to Unlock Its Mysteries.THE THREE-POUND ENIGMA: The Human Brain and the Quest to unlock Its Mysteries SHANNON MOFFETT The human brain is a fragile, watery wa·ter·y adj. 1. Filled with, consisting of, or soaked with water; wet or soggy. 2. Secreting or discharging water or watery fluid, especially as a symptom of disease. mass that is nevertheless more powerful and complex than any computer and that houses the very essence of a person. Neuroscientists Many famous neuroscientists are from the 20th and 21st century, as neuroscience is a fairly new science. However many anatomists, physiologist, and physicians are considered to be neuroscientists as well. have yet to determine what produces consciousness, why we dream, or how amnesiacs can store information without remembering it. Moffett, a medical student at Stanford University Stanford University, at Stanford, Calif.; coeducational; chartered 1885, opened 1891 as Leland Stanford Junior Univ. (still the legal name). The original campus was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. David Starr Jordan was its first president. , examines the latest research into how the brain processes information. Each chapter is devoted to a different aspect of brain research, from functional magnetic resonance imaging functional magnetic resonance imaging n. Abbr. fMRI Magnetic resonance imaging that provides three-dimensional images of the brain based on changes in blood flow and that can be correlated with brain functions. of memory formation, to linking specific neurons Neurons Nerve cells in the brain, brain stem, and spinal cord that connect the nervous system and the muscles. Mentioned in: Speech Disorders and experiences, to probing the effects of meditation on the brain. Moffett describes how the brain develops and changes over a person's lifetime. She provides an educational, behind-the-scenes glimpse into the efforts of neuroscientists to uncover the brain's secrets. Algonquin, 2006, 304 p., b&w illus,, hardcover, $24.95. |
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