Carved in Sand: When Attention Fails and Memory Fades in Midlife

Book Description

Why can't you remember where you put your keys? Or the title of the movie you saw last week? Or the name of your favorite restaurant?

Acclaimed journalist Cathryn Jakobson Ramin takes readers on a lively journey to explain what happens to memory and attention in middle age. Along the way, she turns up fresh scientific findings, explores the dark regions of the human brain, and hears the intimate confessions of high-functioning midlife adults who—like you—want to understand exactly what's going on upstairs.

Anyone older than forty knows that forgetfulness can be unnerving, frustrating, and sometimes terrifying. With compassion and humor, Jakobson Ramin sets out to discover what midlife forgetfulness is all about—from the perspectives of physiology, psychology, and sociology. Relentless in her search for answers to questions about her own unreliable memory, she explores the factors that determine how well—or poorly—one's brain will age. She consults experts in the fields of sleep, stress, traumatic brain injury, hormones, genetics, and dementia, as well as specialists in nutrition, cognitive psychology, and the burgeoning field of drug-based cognitive enhancement. The landscape of the midlife brain is not what you might think, and to understand its strengths and weaknesses turns out to be the best way to cope.

Jakobson Ramin's reporting of the stories of a wide array of midlife men and women will resonate with readers. Her audience will glean spectacular insight into how to elicit the very best performance from a middle-aged brain. A groundbreaking work that represents the best of narrative nonfiction, this is a timely, highly readable, and much-needed book for anyone whose memory is not what it used to be.

Customer Reviews:

I found the answer to my health problems.......2007-09-19

I read "Carved in Sand" book looking for answers to my frequent "young-senior" moments. This book is easy to read and full of information about the different issues related to memory loss. It is so interesting that you want keep reading it until reach the end. Cathryn Jakobson Ramin did extensive research with many scientists, physicians and mental health professionals bringing to light the reasons why some people lose memory when they reach mid-life.

Thanks to this book I found the answer to my other health problems that I have suffered with since I was 39 years old and the solution to helping me feel better. It was a light bulb moment for me. I recommend this book to everybody.

Friends Lined Up.......2007-09-18

This book speaks to a fear many boomers silently suffer with--memory loss. We sort of expect the elderly to have memory problems, but its not supposed to bother the late middle-aged!!. As I told my friends about Ramin's exploration and her journey into the many experiences with and causes of faltering memory in middle age, my friends lined up for me to finish the book and loan it to them. This is a topic that is largely hidden and dealt with in silence. A welcome contribution to this field.

At least I'm not alone.......2007-09-14

Entertaining and informative. packed with medical details, yet written in an entertaining and understandable way. It answered a lot of questions and cleared up a lot of misconceptions I had about Alzheimers. I also requested for a prescrition change.

Highly recommended.......2007-09-07

The big question for all of us in the middle age bracket is this: When we draw a blank when searching for a word or a person's name--is this normal forgetfulness or are we suffering from something much scarier? In this well-researched book, Cathryn Jakobson Ramin does an excellent job of presenting possible reasons for memory lapses and ways to deal with them.

In addition to having her brain and body tested for what might be the cause of her own memory lapses, the author interviewed many people and performed extensive research on the topic. She found that how you treat your brain in middle age will make a difference later. Midlife is the time to act: to make good decisions on diet, stress management, sleeping habits, and exercise.

She writes that today's world is an especially difficult time to reach middle age as we are "smack in the middle of a technological revolution." We can be overwhelmed by the amount of information available and the endless stream of interruptions, multitasking, and over stimulation.

In very readable prose, she explains how our minds are affected by the foods we consume, our hormones, the drugs we take, the chemicals in the environment, our sleep patterns, blood pressure and blood sugar levels, and the amount of exercise that we get. Since we need to build up our cognitive reserve to keep mentally active, she gives tips on how to perform these "intellectual push-ups."

In spite of the seriousness of the subject, this book is a pleasure to read and even funny at times.

Excellent source.......2007-07-13

This book was an excellent source for education about the different types of memory problems which can occur as we age, which proved to be a lot more complicated than I had imagined. The author did an excellent job. It was easy to read and follow and well worth the read.

Average customer rating:

Basic Overlook of Neuroscience
Good for undergraduates
Neuroscience Brain
An Excellent Text
A Brief Review of "Neuroscience"

Neuroscience: Exploring the Brain (**)
Mark F Bear , Barry Connors , and Michael Paradiso
Manufacturer: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Physiology | Basic Science | Medicine | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0781760038

Book Description

Widely praised for its student-friendly style and exceptional artwork and pedagogy, Neuroscience: Exploring the Brain is a leading undergraduate textbook on the biology of the brain and the systems that underlie behavior. This edition provides increased coverage of taste and smell, circadian rhythms, brain development, and developmental disorders and includes new information on molecular mechanisms and functional brain imaging. Path of Discovery boxes, written by leading researchers, highlight major current discoveries. In addition, readers will be able to assess their knowledge of neuroanatomy with the Illustrated Guide to Human Neuroanatomy, which includes a perforated self-testing workbook. This edition's robust ancillary package includes a bound-in student CD-ROM, an Instructor's Resource CD-ROM, a Connection Website, and LiveAdvise: Neuroscience online student tutoring.

Customer Reviews:

Basic Overlook of Neuroscience.......2007-02-24

This book is really good for a general understanding of neuroscience and it has good pictures. This is really a beginning undergraduate level book and can be used as supplemental material for basic concepts when a student is starting to become more advanced, but it does not go into much detail. It is well-written and consequently easy to read. If you're looking for an introduction to neuroscience this is a good book. If you're looking for a reference book for higher level neuroscience this book won't meet standards.

Good for undergraduates.......2006-11-30

You're probably purchasing this book because it's required for your survey course in neuroscience, and that's fine. In fact, it's pretty good for that purpose. But if you want a more rigorous treatment of the subject matter, then this book needs one or several serious supplements.

It's certainly the most "lickable" neuroscience textbook out there, due to its candy-coated drawings.

Pros:
-Current information
-Readability
-Clinical focus
-Profiling relevant human diseases (however largely non-rigorous)
-Profiling current scientists
-Presentation of some of the diagrams (colorful, do a fair job at synthesizing information)

It is not so good at:
-Thoroughness
-More realistic images (stained sections, slice preparations, fMRI images)

The two cons are a deal-breaker for me, however. For instructors I would recommend this book highly at the undergraduate level and only with a caveat to the graduate level.

Neuroscience Brain.......2006-11-06

It is a very good neurobiology book. All of the concepts are explained very well and in great detail.

An Excellent Text.......2005-12-14

If you have been dabbling in cognitive psychology and brain science, have found it interesting and are looking for a broad yet in-depth treatment then this book will not dissapoint you. It approaches Neuroscience from every possible angle: you will learn about the anatomy and physiology of the brain and how it produces, controls and mediates the sensory, motor and emotional functions that underlie human experience. The layout of the text is logical, it uses great pedagogical tools, and the writing is concise and informative (if a little dry). Highly recommended as a first textbook for serious study.

A Brief Review of "Neuroscience".......2005-09-05

I just finished using this book for an undergradutate Neurobiology class at Harvard University, and found it to be very informative. It has a number of diagrams and illustrations, and clearly describes various aspects of neuroscience in great detail, but in a comprehensive manor. I recommend it to anyone pursuing a career in neuroscience.

Train Your Mind, Change Your Brain: How a New Science Reveals Our Extraordinary Potential to Transform Ourselves

Average customer rating:

'Focus & Attention."
Surprising science: new about neuroplasticity.
Change your Life
Understanding our brain
stunning

Train Your Mind, Change Your Brain: How a New Science Reveals Our Extraordinary Potential to Transform Ourselves
Sharon Begley
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Contemplative Science: Where Buddhism and Neuroscience Converge (Columbia Series in Science and Religion)
Social Intelligence: The New Science of Human Relationships

ASIN: 1400063906
Release Date: 2007-01-02

Book Description

Is it really possible to change the structure and function of the brain, and in so doing alter how we think and feel? The answer is a resounding yes. In late 2004, leading Western scientists joined the Dalai Lama at his home in Dharamsala, India, to address this very question–and in the process brought about a revolution in our understanding of the human mind. In this fascinating and far-reaching book, Wall Street Journal science writer Sharon Begley reports on how cutting-edge science and the ancient wisdom of Buddhism have come together to show how we all have the power to literally change our brains by changing our minds. These findings hold exciting implications for personal transformation.

For decades, the conventional wisdom of neuroscience held that the hardware of the brain is fixed and immutable–that we are stuck with what we were born with. As Begley shows, however, recent pioneering experiments in neuroplasticity, a new science that investigates whether and how the brain can undergo wholesale change, reveal that the brain is capable not only of altering its structure but also of generating new neurons, even into old age. The brain can adapt, heal, renew itself after trauma, and compensate for disability.

Begley documents how this fundamental paradigm shift is transforming both our understanding of the human mind and our approach to deep-seated emotional, cognitive, and behavioral problems. These breakthroughs show that it is possible to reset our happiness meter, regain the use of limbs disabled by stroke, train the mind to break cycles of depression and OCD, and reverse age-related changes in the brain. They also suggest that it is possible to teach and learn compassion, a key step in the Dalai Lama’s quest for a more peaceful world. But as we learn from studies performed on Buddhist monks, an important component in changing the brain is to tap the power of mind and, in particular, focused attention. This is the classic Buddhist practice of mindfulness, a technique that has become popular in the West and that is immediately available to everyone.

With her extraordinary gift for making science accessible, meaningful, and compelling, Sharon Begley illuminates a profound shift in our understanding of how the brain and the mind interact. This tremendously hopeful book takes us to the leading edge of a revolution in what it means to be human.

Customer Reviews:

'Focus & Attention.".......2007-09-29

This book is based in part on an Oct.2004 meeting bewtween the Dalai Lama & a group of western neurologists & psychologists to discuss the mutability of the human brain. The main positives of this book are that it is meticulously researched, & yet concise. But, despite the title it is not a self-help book. One should not expect any life altering experiences. This is a history of neuro-plasticity, a cerebral trait discovered by neuro-scientific experiments some twenty years ago. The books central message is that the brain/mind can change when we want it to. The techniques of mental discipline can be learned, & our negative traits reduced. Here eastern philosophy & meditation meets western neuro-science. When the reader is interested in the latest developments for treating dysfunction & depression, or in the mental deterioration brought by aging this is a good place to start. Basically, the adult brain retains much of the plasticity of the developing brain, to change the circuitry that weaves neurons into the networks that allow us to think, feel, dream, remember, & suffer. Some findings show that changes can occur by certain mental activities: like learning a language, or playing a musical instrument. To a degree, the neuro-science does blend with the buddhist belief that our reality can be created by our own thoughts & projections. I have learned that meditation can truly help alter ones feelings, especially in dealing with grief & depression. The book explains in detail how various experiments, training methods, & therapies can change the adult brain. It has shown a remarkable ability to cope with unexpected changes, like blindness, recovering from a stroke, etc. The crucial changes in the brain can willfully overcome neural problems like dyslexia, etc by changing its own circuitry. However, the book does not actually answer all of the questions it poses. I was also a bit taken back that the Dalai Lama would condone animal testing? His statment that the larger human community would benefit from the experiments felt expedient to me. Still, this is a four star book for all the data it contains.

Surprising science: new about neuroplasticity. .......2007-09-06

For nearly a century, scientific dogma held that the brain is immutable, fixed by genes and early upbringing. Wall Street Journal science writer Sharon Begley recently visited the frontiers of neuroscience and returned with a news flash: The dogma is wrong. Researchers have discovered that the brain remains plastic, lifelong. This creates new frontiers: Stroke victims can rewire their brains using challenging exercises; deaf people can repurpose dormant auditory cortexes for other tasks; and blind people can begin to "see" patterns of Braille dots using a seemingly dead visual cortex. Suspecting that they were on to a general pattern, researchers soon looked for similar changes in "normal" brains. Working repetitively on your golf swing, playing the piano or learning a language, they found, also change your brain in lasting, important ways, as does practicing compassion toward others. Begley arrives with heavyweight friends: a foreword by the Dalai Lama and a preface by Daniel Goleman of Emotional Intelligence. If you want to understand how the brain keeps working, and how to make yours do more of what you want it to, we think you should start here. Your brain will thank you.

Change your Life.......2007-08-23

Reading this book will change your life by providing scientific proof that humans can change their brains through meditation. The book is readily accessible to the non-scientific/technical reader and the sections involving the Dalai Lama are fascinating. Those interested in neuroscience, meditation, improving one's quality of life, or in the mysteries of the brain will enjoy this book. Educators and parents will also will find this book as inspiration because it suggests a radical new approach to educating and developing young minds.

Understanding our brain.......2007-07-12

Personal renewal through understanding how the brain works is a subject I am very interested in. This book gets you into the science behind this most promising area of new understanding. It is a subject we all need to know more about - science has learned so much about it in the last 15 years - and this book is a very good place to begin your study of this most important developing area of knowledge.

stunning.......2007-07-05

Train your Mind, Change your Brain is a fascinating look at new discoveries in neuroplasticity and their relation to Buddhist practice. Probably the most salient thing with which I came away from this book is the sense of man's self-determinacy and ability to improve himself. In the age-old debate between heredity and environment, the book highlights new discoveries weighing in heavily on the side of environment. Victor Frankl would be proud.

While the information given is often in relation specifically to Buddhist meditation practice, there is very little material here that is not directly applicable to the contemplative tradition of any religion. For that matter, most of what is presented here does not posit religious beliefs at all - for instance, how exploitation of neuroplasticity can correct dyslexia, help people recover use of paralyzed limbs after strokes, etc.; and how continued research into neuroplasticity may help reverse the mental/neural effects of aging.

Begley writes in a very accessible way - the book was quite readable even for a layman like me. It does help to have a basic knowledge of the principles of Buddhism before starting with this book - I'd recommend reading The Art of Happiness by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Howard Cutler as background.

Average customer rating:

Beware of the digital upgrade
From Start to End
Impressive for a textbook
Great Reference Book
A Masterful Medical Book of Great Importance Written by a Nobel Laureate!

Principles of Neural Science
Eric R. Kandel , James H. Schwartz , and Thomas M. Jessell
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill Medical
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0838577016

Book Description

Now in resplendent color, the new edition continues to define the latest in the scientific understanding of the brain, the nervous system, and human behavior. Each chapter is thoroughly revised and includes the impact of molecular biology in the mechanisms underlying developmental processes and in the pathogenesis of disease. Important features to this edition include a new chapter - Genes and Behavior; a complete updating of development of the nervous system; the genetic basis of neurological and psychiatric disease; cognitive neuroscience of perception, planning, action, motivation and memory; ion channel mechanisms; and much more.

Customer Reviews:

Beware of the digital upgrade.......2007-09-05

I wanted to forwarn other users, especially students, of the pitfalls of the digital upgrade option:

1) Don't buy the upgrade if you're hoping to get access to it through the library computers, instead of having to lug the massive book to school. Apparently, you cannot view any online book from more than 7 different computers within a 30 day period. And, consequently, if the cache happens to get cleared after each session (as is the case with most shared computers), then you're limited to only 7 sessions with ANY computer.

2) Beware that the book is hard to read online. It's great for adding annotations (highlighting text, adding bookmarks, typing notes, etc.), but it's a real strain on the eyes if you try to read a full chapter. The text is low contrast (gray on white) and low resolution. Even when you use the Zoom-in feature (which lets you increase the size a little bit), it's still hard on the eyes. The text is still just blurry enough to make you think you might need glasses. After several chapters, you probably will need glasses :-)

You can check the quality first by viewing the Preview. That's representative of the whole book. Try reading an entire page and decide for yourself. On the plus side, if you do buy the book, and realize that these issues really do pose a problem for you, Amazon lets you request a refund, as long as you have viewed less than 20% of the book. 20% of 1300 pages is a lot, so you should be fine.

From Start to End.......2007-03-28

This is a great educational text. Each chapter starts from cellular level and progresses to the functional and clinical level. Being a chiropractor and working with the spine everyday I need to understand exactly where the problem starts and not focus on the symptoms. This text has allowed me to understand what is neurophysiologically going on with my patients and improve their course of treatment. As described the neurological system is the electricity of the body and if a fuse decides to blow you need to know where to look.

Impressive for a textbook.......2007-02-13

As far as textbooks go, this has to be one of the best that I have come across...and I have come across quite a few. The material is divided into closely related sections, and the text is clear and to the point in its explanation. Not much filler text or needless material. The diagrams are pretty clear and well positioned in the sections also.

Great Reference Book.......2007-01-06

The text is extremely clear and to the point. The diagrams are also simple to understand. Every major topic in neurosci is discussed, allowing you to get an excellent foundation such that you could read any recent publications on that topic and understand completely what the authors are referring to.

A Masterful Medical Book of Great Importance Written by a Nobel Laureate!.......2006-06-07

I am a Female Reconstructive Surgeon who while reading a diversified field of topics have fallen very fond of a particular work. This is Principles of Neural Science. having just completed the 2000 edition I can guarrantee that the new edition due June 2006 will be even more captivatiing. If you have the opportunity to see Dr Kandel speak please do he is an academic historian who gives a broad history of each critical piece of medical history to each of his topics. But returning to his epic, Principles of Neural Science is akin to Newtons Principia in that is a sublime masterpiece. The Kandell prose is colorful, smooth and insightful for medical science. I have found it easy to read 100-200 pages a day so that the 1400 page book took only a week to discover. The illustrations are the best for any field of Medicine and I have read alll the classics- Harrisions & Cecils Medicine and Schwartz and Sabistons General Surgery neither of these books elucidates the subjugate field with this type of clarity and instructional prose. Do as I have done and preorder the new edition. Those with any interest in the brain will certainly be amazed at the easy depth of information you will achieve. Believe me I am writing a book -Female Reconstructive Surgery and I will be implementing operative 17.2 million pixel photography to achieve the splendid vision the Kandel has produced with his illustrations. I have learned so much on how a book for Surgeons should be written from this Nobel Laureate

The Accidental Mind: How Brain Evolution Has Given Us Love, Memory, Dreams, and God

Average customer rating:

Nicely done, accessible account of the human brain
Entertaining?
A Very Refreshing Book On Brain Science
A Perspective-Changing Read about the Brain
For your thinking and reading friends....

The Accidental Mind: How Brain Evolution Has Given Us Love, Memory, Dreams, and God
David J. Linden
Manufacturer: Belknap Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Art Spirit
Forty Studies that Changed Psychology: Explorations into the History of Psychological Research

ASIN: 0674024788

Book Description

You've probably seen it before: a human brain dramatically lit from the side, the camera circling it like a helicopter shot of Stonehenge, and a modulated baritone voice exalting the brain's elegant design in reverent tones.

To which this book says: Pure nonsense. In a work at once deeply learned and wonderfully accessible, the neuroscientist David Linden counters the widespread assumption that the brain is a paragon of design--and in its place gives us a compelling explanation of how the brain's serendipitous evolution has resulted in nothing short of our humanity. A guide to the strange and often illogical world of neural function, The Accidental Mind shows how the brain is not an optimized, general-purpose problem-solving machine, but rather a weird agglomeration of ad-hoc solutions that have been piled on through millions of years of evolutionary history. Moreover, Linden tells us how the constraints of evolved brain design have ultimately led to almost every transcendent human foible: our long childhoods, our extensive memory capacity, our search for love and long-term relationships, our need to create compelling narrative, and, ultimately, the universal cultural impulse to create both religious and scientific explanations. With forays into evolutionary biology, this analysis of mental function answers some of our most common questions about how we've come to be who we are.

Customer Reviews:

Nicely done, accessible account of the human brain.......2007-08-08

David Linden's "The Accidental Mind" is a neat little book. He has two main purposes: (a) to write a readable introduction on brain science, accessible to nonspecialists; (b) to make the case that (page 6) `. . .the brain is an inelegant and inefficient agglomeration of stuff, which nonetheless works surprisingly well." As to the first point, this volume is a far cry from the magnificent work, Michael Gazzaniga's The Cognitive Neurosciences III: Third Edition. However, if one is not well steeped in knowledge and understanding of the neurosciences, Gazzaniga's edited work is close to impenetrable. This book is well and crisply written, explaining simply how neurons work the structure of the brain, how the brain develops, and so on.

As to the second point? He asserts that, quoting Francois Jacob (Page 6), "'Evolution is a tinkerer, not an engineer." That is, evolution operates on organisms as they are and then the process of change takes advantage of the material already existent to adapt to new conditions and challenges. Thus, the human brain is mounted on older, more primitive structures, in an ill fitting complex. As he says (page 21): "The brain is built like an ice cream cone (and you are the top scoop): Through evolutionary time, as higher functions were added, a new scoop was placed on top, but the lower scoops were left largely unchanged."

Thereafter, he speaks of the structure of the brain, how the fully mature human brain develops (with both nature and nurture having roles to play), how the brain is associated with all manner of emotions, learning, religion, and so on.

The Ninth chapter has a title that speaks directly to Linden's first theme--"The Unintelligent Design of the Brain." Here, he slyly critiques advocates of the "Intelligent Design" perspective by noting that the brain is hardly an exemplar of some great design. As noted already, he sees the brain as inefficient and "jury-rigged."

This is a book that provides plenty of insight into how neuroscientists study the structure and function of the brain--and presents some of the exciting possibilities for future research.

In sum, this is a work that ought to be attended to by those interested in the brain sciences, but who cannot readily read the technical literature.

Entertaining?.......2007-07-30

This is a great book for readers who are interested in an overview of the anatomical and physiological functions of the brain. If you have had any previous A+P, this book may give you flashbacks (and does a good job of explaining how those feelings were "created.") You may even recognise many of the examples and case studies right from classic lectures.
If you are approaching "The Accidental Mind" as pure entertainment, enjoy. If you are looking for juicier or more in depth case studies, keep browsing.

A Very Refreshing Book On Brain Science.......2007-07-18

The addition of this review is to fill in one gap in particular. Dr. Linden is the first scientific author I have read in quite a while that wasn't flip with schools of thought. He has distilled research with varied hypothesis and has enough respect for his field and the reader to frankly state when "We just don't know." My only regret is that Dr. Linden didn't make this book the "larger tomb" he mentions when wrapping up the research that didn't make it into the book. Highly recommended to anyone who is mystified by belief and dreams.

A Perspective-Changing Read about the Brain.......2007-07-04

Why do we sleep? What is love? What is happening when we dream? These questions seem so basic to our human experience, and yet the average person in at a complete loss to explain even the most common of our daily experiences. This is where the Accidental Mind comes in. Linden's book offers a refreshingly different perspective on the brain. After reading this book, you will have a much better understanding of how your brain shapes your experience, it's limitations, and what is going on "behind the curtain." Intelligence, gender identity, sexuality, are all covered with an eye to how these factors play out in the architecture of the brain.

This book also provides a great deal of information on the biological basis for issues that are being debated in our culture, which many people will find enlightening and necessary for making informed comments.

If you are considering picking up this book, read Chapter 7 on sleep, available for free from Linden's website:

[...]

While the book may sometimes goes into great detail on the biology, most readers will find plenty of compelling information in these pages. People who enjoy this book and are interested in some of the practical insights that new research is providing about humans, how we work, and practical advice for improving our lives should check out The Happiness Hypothesis by Jonathan Haidt.

Happy reading!

For your thinking and reading friends...........2007-05-31

I found The Accidental Mind a well written, humorous and thought-provoking introduction to neuroscience and to some profound ideas about evolution and other topics. It's the kind of book that makes you interrupt your partner's reading every five minutes with "Hey, listen to this...." If Dr. Linden lectures as entertainingly and interestingly as he writes, his classes at Johns Hopkins University must be in great demand.

Foundations of Physiological Psychology (with Neuroscience Animations and Student Study Guide CD-ROM) (6th Edition)

Average customer rating:

Excellent for basic neuropsych
Dishonest Amazon
even for non-psy majors
Wonderful!
Be careful what you order...

Foundations of Physiological Psychology (with Neuroscience Animations and Student Study Guide CD-ROM) (6th Edition)
Neil R. Carlson
Manufacturer: Allyn & Bacon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Foundations of Physiological Psychology Sixth Edition: Study Guide for Carlson
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Decoding the Ethics Code: A Practical Guide for Psychologists

ASIN: 0205427235

Book Description

A revision of the successful book that incorporates the most up-to-date changes from the quick paced field of biological psychology. Completely re-written and re-conceived in every edition, this book marries the clinical aspects of the field with the roots of biological research. The author uses many human examples to help make the material interesting and relevant to readers. For Intro Psychology students, or anyone with an interest in physiological psychology, biological psychology, or neuroscience.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent for basic neuropsych.......2007-07-12

This book is clear and does an excellent job of teaching a beginner the basics of neuropsych. Carlson understands this material can at times be dry and difficult and is able to write anecdotally and scientifically.

Dishonest Amazon.......2007-03-20

I ordered this book based on the Title information. No where did they mention the word "Cram101 Textbook" in the title. It is only in the Editorial that they mention this. This is clearly false advertising by Amazon who I can only conclude are trying get rid of a surplus of these
companion texts!

even for non-psy majors.......2007-02-09

This book is really easy to, but that does not mean that it does not provide you with good information. In fact, I think the book is informative while being quite concise. The diagrams are nice too.

Wonderful!.......2007-01-11

I personally found my Physiological Psychology course quite challenging since I had no background in Biology, but reading this book made the topic quite interesting.

Be careful what you order..........2006-07-29

Just so everyone knows, this is NOT the actual textbook. This is just a study guide.

The Mindful Brain: Reflection and Attunement in the Cultivation of Well-Being

Average customer rating:

Interesting
Could be a life changing book
The Mindful Brain
AN ENGAGING READ
The Foundations for a Sea Change in Psychological Health and Personal Development

The Mindful Brain: Reflection and Attunement in the Cultivation of Well-Being
Daniel J. Siegel
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 039370470X

Book Description

An exploration of the nature of our mind, from the inside out, by a leading neurobiologist.

Over the last twenty years, there has been growing attention in the Western world to mindfulness—paying attention to life in the present moment. Here, Daniel J. Siegel investigates the phenomenon of mindfulness as it impacts our daily lives, offering readers insight into personal relationships, emotional behavior, parenting, and work.

Customer Reviews:

Interesting.......2007-08-09

This is an interesting book. I bought it because I live in Los Angeles, and there is a Mindful Awareness program at UCLA. I wanted to see what that program was all about before I joined it. [...]
which is the mindful awareness research center site (MARC)at UCLA. There you can download some mindful awareness meditations. They are pretty good in helping you get into a state of greater mindful awareness.

Could be a life changing book.......2007-07-04

This book outlines the steps one can take to develop a self observer. It is the self observer within us that allows us to become architects of our destinies. Backed up with current research on how emotional trauma or experience lays down pathways in our brains that, once identified, can be re routed if need be.

The Mindful Brain.......2007-06-14

I found the content of this book fascinating and important (5 stars) but the writing ponderous and redundant (2 stars), for the most part. It is an ambitious attempt to synthesize and interpret scientific research and the author's personal experience in an emerging field that is fraught with speculation. Perhaps because of this, the author appears to have cobbled together every study potentially relating brain function and mindfulness, weaving back and forth to make every possible connection, rather than following a few salient lines of thinking and explicating them clearly. Difficult as it was to digest some of the material (I am a practiced reader of science but had to read too many sentences too many times), I benefited personally and immediately from several of the concepts presented such as streams of awareness, parenting styles ("secure attachment"), approach mindset and mindful education, and I look forward to further research in this field. I had imagined the brain research to be further along than it is and expected more about research on meditation, so I was a tad disappointed, but this is not the author's fault. In spite of the poor presentation, there was some delightful new learning for me and I am glad to have read this.

AN ENGAGING READ.......2007-06-01

It's not often that a book engages me the way this one has. I have a deep curiousity about neuroscience and human potential and this book is answering a lot of my questions. I'm only half way through so I don't feel I can give it a full review at this time. However, if the second half is a well-written as the first, it truly deserves more than five stars. Pamela D. Blair, Author The Next Fifty Years: A Guide for Women at Mid-Life And Beyond

The Foundations for a Sea Change in Psychological Health and Personal Development.......2007-05-29

A favorite book of mine is Ellen Langer's "Mindfulness." Happily still in print though it is nearly twenty years old. With it, Ellen, an eminent academic at Harvard introduced the psychological community to something that lies at the core of many religious, spiritual and contemplative practices.

This marvelous book by the co-director of the UCLA Mindful Awareness Center is a next step. To give you a flavor of the book, let me quote from the Preface,

"Welcome to a journey into the heart of our lives. Being mindfully aware, attending to the richness of our here-and-now experiences, creates scientifically recognized enhancements in out physiology, our mental functions, and our inter-personal relationships. Being fully present in out awareness opens our lives to new possibilities of well-being.

Almost all cultures have practices that help people develop awareness of the moment. Each of the major religions of the world utilizes some method to enable individuals to focus their attention, from meditation to prayer, yoga to t'ai chi."

For Daniel Siegel, being "mindful: means being aware, of being conscientious, with kindness and care." He uses a helpful acronym: COAL, for curiosity, openness, acceptance and love.

As Daniel points out, we are in desperate need of finding a new way of being, not just in ourselves, but in our relationships, schools and in society as a whole. Professionals constantly see the terrible consequences for people who feel social isolation, dislocation and alienation. Yet until the advent of the Positive Psychology movement, academic psychology, psychotherapy and psychiatry had all focused almost exclusively on the sick mind. To this day, most people working in these fields have been taught little if anything about mental health, ad even fewer are engaged in practices that can keep them healthy and resilient. It is no coincidence that people working in psychology and psychiatry have some of the highest burnout rates of any of the major professions.

The burgeoning evidence of the extraordinary plasticity of the human brain also has another side to it: if we are not mindful, if we are in unhealthy relationships, and if we are without any kind of inspiration or moral compass, our brains get wired in ways that they should not. And the earlier in life that it happens, the more difficult it is to unravel later. This is the reason why abuse in childhood can have effects that last decades.

This book is an attempt to redress the balance. The book is divided into four sections, fourteen chapters and three appendices:
PART I MIND, BRAIN, AND AWARENESS
1. A Mindful Awareness
2. Brain Basics
PART II IMMERSION IN DIRECT EXPERIENCE
3. A Week of Silence
4. Suffering and the Streams of Awareness
PART III FACETS OF THE MINDFUL BRAIN
5. Subjectivity and Science
6. Harnessing the Hub: Attention and the Wheel of Awareness
7. Jettisoning Judgments: Dissolving Top-Down Constraints
8. Internal Attunement: Mirror Neurons, Resonance, and Attention to Intention
9. Reflective Coherence: Neural Integration and Middle Prefrontal Function
10. Flexibility of Feeling: Affective Style and an Approach Mindset
11. Reflective Thinking: Imagery and the Cognitive Style of Mindful Learning
PART IV REFLECTIONS ON THE MINDFUL BRAIN
12. Educating the Mind: The Fourth ``R'' and the Wisdom of Reflection
13. Reflection in Clinical Practice: Being Present and Cultivating the Hub
14. The Mindful Brain in Psychotherapy: Promoting Neural Integration

Afterword: Reflections on Reflection
Appendix I Reflection and Mindfulness Resources
Appendix II Glossary and Terms
Appendix III Neural Notes

The book is well referenced and there is a good index.

As you will see from the chapter headings, the book is rooted in neuroscience and reviews the empirical evidence that our minds can not only control our brains, but also grow and develop them. Healthy experiences can help us cultivate our brains, our minds and our sense of well-being. What he has done in this book is to provide a theoretical foundation for the neuropsychology and consequences of mindfulness. As a neuroscientist, I thought that his models made extremely good sense. He writes well, and I do not think that what he has to say would be difficult for anyone with a high school education.

Why is this important? Because it shows that there are ways of maintaining and perhaps restoring mental health without medications or other external interventions. Of course there are times when medicines can be the only option, and literally life saving. But they are not always necessary. This brain-based approach is also very helpful for people who re already engaged in meditation, prayer or other forms of mindfulness training. It can be very helpful to know something about what is going on inside your head, without having to rely on experience alone.

Daniel shows that mindfulness is something that can easily be taught and learned, and that the consequences of using the techniques can be extraordinary, not only for ourselves, but also for our families and friends.

Though not, strictly speaking, a "how to" book on achieving mindfulness, there are ample descriptions of the keys that we need to attain it. He also provides details of some organizations that offer mindfulness training.

Very highly recommended.

Average customer rating:

The Best Neuroanatomy Book for Beginers
An amazing book
Needs to be more durable!!!
Superb text for the medical professional
Great Book

Neuroanatomy Through Clinical Cases
Hal Blumenfeld
Manufacturer: Sinauer Associates
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0878930604

Book Description

Neuroanatomy through Clinical Cases brings a pioneering interactive approach to the teaching of neuroanatomy, using over 100 actual Clinical Cases and high-quality radiologic images to bring the subject to life. This approach allows students to appreciate the clinical relevance of structural details as they are being learned, and to integrate knowledge of disparate functional systems, since a single lesion may affect several different neural structures and pathways.

Most of the book comprises chapters that explain the major neuroanatomical systems. Each chapter first presents background material including an overview of relevant neuroanatomical structures and pathways, and a brief discussion of related clinical disorders. The second half of each chapter is devoted to clinical cases. The cases begin with a narrative of how the patient developed symptoms, and what deficits were found upon neurological examination. Boldface type highlights important symptoms and signs. A series of questions challenges the reader to deduce the neuroanatomical location of the patient's lesion, and the diagnosis. Discussion and answers follow, and an epilogue reveals the actual outcome.

One of the book's most innovative features is the inclusion of CT and MRI scans that depict each patient's lesion. These radiographs help the reader develop skills in interpreting the same kinds of diagnostic images employed in clinical practice.

The book is intended primarily for first- or second-year medical students enrolled in a basic neuroanatomy, neurobiology or neuroscience course. It is also a valuable resource for advanced medical students and residents, as well as students of other health professions, notably physical therapy, occupational therapy, nursing, dentistry, speech therapy, and neuropsychology.

Customer Reviews:

The Best Neuroanatomy Book for Beginers.......2007-10-02

Well what can I say?, This book was really a pleasure to read. It covers pretty much of Neuroanatomy and some Neurologic Semiology, always associating an especific anatomic lesion with the Clinical Syndrome found. Figures and charts are very helpful. The way it explained complex stuff in such an easy to read language really surprised me. Of course, it was not intended to be that detailed, but as a first step to get into higher-order stuff.

An amazing book.......2007-10-01

I love this book, beautifully done, practical, the cases are well chosen, developed, explained. For us visual people this textbook is a heaven. I think it is such good value for money considering usefulness, the size and the quality of illustrations.

Needs to be more durable!!!.......2007-08-02

My husband and I are both physicians and LOVE this book. My only complaint is that it is such a large text and gets so much use that our's is falling apart!

Superb text for the medical professional.......2007-06-05

Just the second chapter and the last chapter alone are worth the price. Everything else is a bonus. And such a bonus it is. There are extensive scans and high quality illustrations. Also, each chapter (very nearly) has photos of techniques of neurological examination.

The text is clear, up to date, and related to the nearby illustrations. References are extensive, index useful. For the practicing neurologist or student, this may be the finest text for the purpose. It is geared toward use, not simply scholarship. One doesn't learn everything clinical just on the wards.

There are many case studies laid out as if one were on rounds and was being questioned by the chief. This is a uniquely useful text. Recommended.

Great Book.......2007-05-26

I really found this book useful; especially being in the Neuropsychology field. I would highly recommend this book. Great explanations and pictures. All easily understood.

Average customer rating:

Memories are Made of This
Rusiko Bourtchouladze
Manufacturer: Columbia University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0231120206

Book Description

Memory enables us to make experience meaningful and to form coherent identities for ourselves and intelligible perceptions of others. Indeed, our ability to imagine, anticipate, and create the future is directly commensurate with our ability to retrieve and recollect past experiences.

But for all its vital importance in human cognition, for all that it seems so ordinary and obvious, memory remains in many ways as complex and mysterious today as it seemed to ancient philosophers. We need only to think about the "tip-of-the-tongue" experience to wonder how memories are formed, where they reside in our brains, and why some are retained, while others are forgotten. What is the difference between long- and short-term memory? Can memory be strengthened? Memories Are Made of This is an account of current memory science that offers answers to these and a host of other questions, comprehensively distilling much diverse and

rigorous science. It delves into the biology of memory functions and researches into the

mechanics and genetics of memory and the importance of emotions, particularly those resulting from trauma, in the memory process. Of special focus are investigations of cognition in other species. Are we the only animals who remember and forget? If not, are there commonalties in the memories of different species? The book also surveys our understanding of the effects of injury and disease on memory and concludes with an assessment of emerging pharmacological efforts to preserve and protect our memories and, in turn, ourselves.

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Neuropsychological Assessment
Best thing going
Lezak's Neuropsychological Assessment
New edition out soon
This is an invaluable resource for assessment.

Neuropsychological Assessment
Muriel D. Lezak , Diane B. Howieson , David W. Loring , H. Julia Hannay , and Jill S. Fischer
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0195111214
Release Date: 2004-07-01

Book Description

Well-known as the "bible" in its field, this text/reference has been thoroughly revised and updated by a team of internationally recognized and clinically experienced neuropsychologists. Drawing on their diverse interests, they provide authoritative, broad-based, and in-depth coverage of current research and clinical practice in neuropsychology. They have not, however, changed the book's overall organization. The first eight chapters present the knowledge base for understanding the principles and practice of patient-oriented, hypothesis-testing neuropsychological assessment. The last 12 chapters review nearly all tests and assessment techniques discussed in previous editions plus many new ones and recent revisions of older tests. The extent of the updating is apparent from the fact that approximately half of the more than 7,000 references cited appeared since the last edition was published. Many new topics relevant to current assessment practices have been added to the 4th edition. The chapter on examination procedures, for example, now contains sections on cognitive functioning in pain and PTSD patients. The chapter on brain disorders includes new material on electrical/lighting injuries, migraine, Alzheimer's disease and other dementing disorders, and both medical and psychological treatments. The discussion of assessment procedures has been updated throughout to cover recently published test batteries used in general neuropsychological assessment (e.g., mental abilities, memory), newly developed batteries for specific issues (e.g., frontal lobe evaluation), and recent research on older neuropsychological assessment batteries. The fully revised chapter on assessing response bias describes and evaluates more than 60 tests, test combinations, and other measures for detecting questionable effort within the context of forensic neuropsychological assessment.

Customer Reviews:

Neuropsychological Assessment.......2006-02-24

This is a brilliant book. A must have for anyone doing psychometric testing!

Best thing going.......2005-09-25

this book is the seminal work in the field, in my opinion. the book is very comprehensive and well-organized, and you don't have to be a neuropsychologist to understand or use it. it is a great reference for therapists and patients alike who are looking for an increased understanding of brain function and behavior. of course, it is also an excellent resource on conducting neuropsychological testing and can help practitioners of all sorts make a more educated guess regarding the need for assessment/referral.

Lezak's Neuropsychological Assessment.......2005-09-09

Highly recommended! If there is one indispensable text in the field of Clinical Neuropsychology this is it, both for the practicing neuropsychologist and the student. As with the previous editions this text really has no equal in the field. It is the reference I pull most frequently from my bookshelf.

New edition out soon.......2004-02-20

This is a fantastic reference book. I can't count how many times I have opened it. HOWEVER, there is a new edition coming out in June 2004, so the interested yet frugal buyer might want to hold off for a few months

This is an invaluable resource for assessment........1998-05-24

Neuropsychological assessment provides an invaluable resource for anyone interested in assessment. Lezak has provided innumerable references as well as current information about instruments and their neuropsychological applications. As a graduate student and in everyday practice, I have found this book to be constantly on my desk. I highly recommend this book to anyone in the field of assessment.

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