William A. Harris

"By the time a baby is born, its brain has nearly 100 billion intricately shaped neurons wired together to comprise a small, soft-matter supercomputer. How is this incredibly complicated organ built in just nine months? This book is a step-by-step guide to what we know about the development of the human brain, from its earliest embryonic origin to birth and a little beyond. Written from an experimental neuroscientist's perspective, this book provides readers with a conceptual understanding of the field of developmental neurobiology, outlining both the biological mechanisms (genetic, environmental, and stochastic) that play significant and interrelated roles in neural development, and how we have come to understand the human brain's construction and function. Highlighting the major questions that have propelled the field forward - including those pushing at the frontiers of the field today - and the stories of major discoveries made by pioneering scientists around the world, the book describes how the structures and mechanisms of the developing brain were discovered. Chapters progress chronologically, tracking the actual growth and development of the human brain from conception to just after birth, as well as the history of how these mechanisms were revealed. Throughout, findings from studies of model organisms, such as nematodes, flies, frogs, fish, birds, mice, and sometimes non-human primates, are woven into the narrative and put into the context of a human embryo or fetus, as there are clear indications that the same processes involving the same genes are found across species. The book concludes with a discussion of what makes individual brains unique and how research on early neural development is helping us better understand the genetic and embryonic origins of many neurological and cognitive traits that only reveal themselves later in life"--

How the Human Brain Is Built

Zero to Birth

Dan H. Sanes

Thomas A. Reh

Development of the Nervous System presents a broad and basic treatment of the established and evolving principles of neural development as exemplified by key experiments and observations from past and recent times. The text is organized ontogenically. It begins with the emergence of the neural primordium and takes a chapter-by-chapter approach in succeeding events in neural development: patterning and growth of the nervous system, neuronal determination, axonal navigation and targeting, neuron survival and death, synapse formation and developmental plasticity. Finally, in the last chapter, with the construction phase nearing completion, we examine the emergence of behavior. This new edition reflects the complete modernization of the field that has been achieved through the intensive application of molecular, genetic, and cell biological approaches. It is richly illustrated with color photographs and original drawings. Combined with the clear and concise writing, the illustrations make this a book that is well suited to students approaching this intriguing field for the first time. Features Thorough survey of the field of neural development Concise but complete, suitable for a one semester course on upper level undergraduate or graduate level Focus on fundamental principles of organogenesis in the nervous system Integrates information from a variety of model systems, relating them to human nervous system development, including disorders of development Systematically develops knowledge from the description of key experiments and results Organized ontologically Carefully edited to be presented in one voice New edition thoroughly updated and revised to include major new findings All figures in full color, updated and revised Specific attention on revising the chapter on cognitive and behavioral development to provide a foundation and outlook towards those very fast moving areas Instructor website with figure bank and test questions Benefits The only thorough textbook of Developmental Neuroscience on the market Carefully structured and edited to map onto the syllabus of most developmental neuroscience courses Priced to be affordable for undergraduates even in addition to broader textbooks Carefully constructed instructor's website Specifically designed to make teaching of complicated subjects easy and fun for instructors and students alike

Development of the Nervous System

Development of the Nervous System, Second Edition has been thoroughly revised and updated since the publication of the First Edition. It presents a broad outline of neural development principles as exemplified by key experiments and observations from past and recent times. The text is organized along a development pathway from the induction of the neural primordium to the emergence of behavior. It covers all the major topics including the patterning and growth of the nervous system, neuronal determination, axonal navigation and targeting, synapse formation and plasticity, and neuronal survival and death. This new text reflects the complete modernization of the field achieved through the use of model organisms and the intensive application of molecular and genetic approaches. The original, artist-rendered drawings from the First Edition have all been redone and colorized to so that the entire text is in full color. This new edition is an excellent textbook for undergraduate and graduate level students in courses such as Neuroscience, Medicine, Psychology, Biochemistry, Pharmacology, and Developmental Biology. Updates information including all the new developments made in the field since the first edition Now in full color throughout, with the original, artist-rendered drawings from the first edition completely redone, revised, colorized, and updated

William A. Harris

Books

Your next favorite book is out there