The Brain Book: Development, Function, Disorder, Health
Assuming no prior knowledge about the human brain on the part of its readers, this educational but nontextbook volume informs them of fundamentals ranging from anatomy to abnormalities and their treatment. Appropriately, since constructing vision is among the brain’s many remarkable talents, the work is generously visual; hundreds of color diagrams, photographs, and brain scans illustrate the information the text imparts. It first maps out the entire nervous system, from the body’s peripheral nerves to the spinal column to the geography of the brain itself. Ashwell then proceeds to physiological processes that the brain operates, such as digestion and movement, highlighting specific neural pathways dedicated to them and arriving at explanations of how neurons function. Such anatomical discussions prepare readers for the book’s most practical use, informing them of health issues associated with the brain. Proper childhood development is emphasized, problems like autism are addressed, and health problems encountered in adulthood—trauma, disease, addiction, aging, and psychopathology—are described. An informative general introduction, this will well serve the basic science collection. --Gilbert Taylor