Brain Repair
by Donald G. Stein, Simï¿1/2n Brailowsky, Bruno Will
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Book Summary Information
Author: Bruno Will, Donald G. Stein, Simï¿1/2n BrailowskyEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 1997-08-07
ISBN: 0195119185
Number of pages: 176
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Book Reviews of Brain Repair
Book Review: Excellent primer on brain plasticity
Summary: 5 Stars
The idea that the brain can repair itself is a relatively recent one. Up until the 1980s most neurologists believed that once neurons were injured, that was the end of the story. In large part, this belief was fueled by the eminent Spanish anatomist, Santiago Ramon y Cajal, who stated categorically that "nervous pathways are fixed and immutable, everything may die, nothing may be regenerated." Ramon y Cajal was not only quite wrong, he ignored his own research, which demonstrated that the nervous system was fully capable of regeneration.
Brain Repair covers how, and why the brain and nervous system can recover functionality after both abrupt trauma and slow onset injuries. In clear, conversational style, the authors explain how the nervous system works, how it develops and, most importantly, the mechanisms through which it can heal itself. (The chapter on brain transplants was especially interesting.) But this is not a simple science text; the thoughtfulness with which the authors raise relevant issues goes beyond mere biology. "Of what benefit are these findings for patients?" is the question they repeatedly ask--one which all researchers would do well to remember.
If you are interested in neurology, this is the book you need to read before you embark on further research. It will provide you with both the knowledge and a conceptual basis for understanding brain plasticity. Best of all, you don't need to be a neurobiologist to read it.
Summary of Brain Repair
Sixty years ago, the Nobel laureate Santiago Ramon y Cajal stated that "in the adult brain, nervous pathways are fixed and immutable; everything may die, nothing may be regenerated." Cajal's influence has been legendary--and conventional wisdom still holds that the human brain cannot repair itself. Today, however, remarkable discoveries from laboratories around the world offer a much more optimistic prognosis. In Brain Repair, three internationally renowned neuroscientists team up to offer an intriguing and up-to-the-minute introduction to the explosive advances being made in the research, technology, and treatment of brain damage.The key to neuroscience's most exciting discoveries to date is a theory that is rapidly gaining adherents in the scientific community--the theory of neuroplasticity. Unlike the prevalent notion that mental processes--like seeing, remembering, and speaking--take place only within highly specialized brain regions made up of irreplaceable and non-regenerating cells, neuroplasticity stresses that cells throughout the brain can not only regenerate, but can adapt their function to assume critical roles once performed by damaged tissue. In clear, accessible language, the authors show us that the brain manufactures a host of complex chemicals that actually foster growth in damaged brain cells. We visit the laboratories where researchers are untangling the mystery of Parkinson's disease and trying to understand what goes wrong in stroke victims, and why some, thought permanently impaired, show remarkable improvements. In addition, they discuss how even today misguided ideas can adversely affect how physicians treat patients--for example, they describe common drug treatments given to stroke and head trauma patients that can actually worsen the effects of brain damage. And, along the way, they detail the fascinating history of how brain structure and functioning has been understood and studied, from prehistoric times to the present.
Over a half million people each year suffer brain-damaging injuries and diseases--but the outlook for their eventual recovery is far more hopeful than it was just a short while ago. A best-selling volume in France and Mexico, Brain Repair provides a vividly written, wide-ranging look at the leading edge of one of science's most exciting frontiers.
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