"Two weeks before his death, Oliver Sacks outlined the contents of The River of Consciousness, the last book he would oversee. The best-selling author of On the Move, Musicophilia, and The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat, Sacks is known for his illuminating case histories about people living with neurological conditions at the far borderlands of human experience. But his grasp of science was not restricted to neuroscience or medicine; he was fascinated...

"These days it's hard to count on the world outside. So it's vital to grow strengths inside like grit, gratitude, and compassion---the key to resilience, and to lasting well-being in a changing world. True resilience is much more than enduring terrible conditions. We need resilience every day to raise a family, work at a job, cope with stress, deal with health problems, navigate issues with others, heal from old pain, and simply keep on going. With...

What happens when we accept that everything we feel and think stems not from an immaterial spirit but from electrical and chemical activity in our brains? Churchland grounds the philosophy of mind in the essential ingredients of biology. She reflects with humor on how she came to harmonize science and philosophy, the mind and the brain, abstract ideals and daily life. "What happens when we accept that everything we feel and think stems not from an...

A pioneering neuroscientist reveals the reasons for chronic loneliness--which he defines an unrecognized syndrome--and brings it out of the shadow of its cousin, depression.

Revised and updated to include the latest research about the brain's role in weight loss, this classic work partners a revolutionary smart carb program with behavioral modification to help sustain a leaner and healthier lifestyle without feeling deprived. Uses a "smart carb" program coupled with powerful behavioral modification to shrink fat cells while stabilizing blood sugar, reducing inflammation and establishing new habits that will sustain a...

"A rigorous, skeptical, deeply reported look at the new science behind the mind's extraordinary ability to heal the body Have you ever felt a surge of adrenaline after narrowly avoiding an accident? Salivated at the sight (or thought) of a sour lemon? Felt turned on just from hearing your partner's voice? If so, then you've experienced how dramatically the workings of your mind can affect your body. Yet while we accept that stress or anxiety can damage...

One of the world's leading neuroscientists explores how best to understand the human condition by examining the biological, psychological, and highly social nature of our species within the social context of our lives. In Human, Gazzaniga explores a number of related issues, including what makes human brains unique, the importance of language and art in defining the human condition, the nature of human consciousness, and even artificial intelligence....

Early studies of human brain function used a simple method: wait for misfortune to strike -- strokes, seizures, infectious diseases, lobotomies, accidents -- and observe how the victim coped. In many cases, survival was miraculous and observers could only marvel at the transformations that took place afterward. An injury to one section can leave a person unable to recognize loved ones; some brain trauma can even make you a pathological gambler, pedophile,...

"A new theory of how the brain constructs emotions that could revolutionize psychology, health care, law enforcement, and our understanding of the human mind. Emotions feel automatic, like uncontrollable reactions to things we think and experience. Scientists have long supported this assumption by claiming that emotions are hardwired in the body or the brain. Today, however, the science of emotion is in the midst of a revolution on par with the discovery...

Draws on new research to answer questions about the effects of specific drugs and foods on the brain, in an updated edition that discusses the role of biorhythms and how drugs interact with the body's biochemistry. --Publisher's description.