Neurons and Networks : An Introduction to Neuroscience

How the brain perceives our environment and controls our actions is a subject that we have only begun to understand during the 20th century.

The pace of brain research has accelerated dramatically and neuroscience is now one of the most active branches of all the natural sciences.

This illustrated book presents an introduction for beginning students and others that joins two major approaches to the field.

First, since the brain - like any other organ - is made up of cells, Dowling covers the essentials of cellular and molecular neurobiology, introducing the specialized structure and function of individual nerve cells.

In the second half of the book he presents an overview of integrative neuroscience, which describes the processing of information by aggregates of nerve cells, for it is from these networks of the nervous system that behaviour emerges. "Neurons and Networks" does not aim to be encyclopaedic; instead, it offers in-depth coverage of carefully selected topics.

Tangential matters and technical jargon are avoided. The author draws examples from invertebrate and vertebrate nervous systems, reflecting the variety of organisms that have been studied over the years, and especially from the visual system, which is perhaps better understood than any other system of the brain.

Throughout, basic biological principles are kept in the forefront to ensure that readers grasp the mechanisms underlying neuronal functions.

John Dowling draws on more than 20 years of research and undergraduate teaching to create a book that aims to meet the needs of a wide range of students.

He incorporates over 250 illustrations based on actual recordings and experiments to ground the biological concepts in the real world of the laboratory.

To convey the vitality of the science, Dowling describes the experimental observations leading to important discoveries, then explains or speculates on the significance of the findings.

This introduction to a dynamic field should attract curious general readers as well as beginning students of brain function, including computer scientists, psychologists, molecular biologists and budding neuroscientists.