Table Of ContentPrelims.qxp 1/8/2008 12:17 PM Page i
The Brain
A Beginner’s Guide
Prelims.qxp 1/8/2008 12:17 PM Page ii
Where today’s news only scratches the surface, ONEWORLD BEGINNER’S
GUIDES combine a truly engaging approach with expert analysis of the most
challenging issues facing modern society. Innovative and affordable, these books are
perfect for anyone curious about the way the world works and the big ideas of
our time.
anarchism democracy mafia & organized
ruth kinna david beetham crime
james o. finckenauer
anti-capitalism energy
simon tormey vaclav smil NATO
jennifer medcalf
evolution
artificial intelligence
burton s. guttman
blay whitby the palestine–israeli
conflict
evolutionary psychology
biodiversity
dan cohn-sherbok &
r. dunbar, l. barrett &
john spicer
dawoud el-alami
j. lycett
bioterror & biowarfare
philosophy of mind
fair trade
malcolm dando
edward feser
jacqueline decarlo
the brain postmodernism
genetics
a. al-chalabi, m. r. kevin hart
a. griffiths, b. guttman,
turner & r. s. delamont
d. suzuki & t. cullis
quantum physics
christianity
global terrorism alastair i. m. rae
keith ward
leonard weinberg
religion
cloning hinduism martin forward
aaron d. levine klaus k. klostermaier
the small arms trade
criminal psychology life in the universe m. schroeder, r. stohl
ray bull et al. lewis dartnell & d. smith
FORTHCOMING:
animal behaviour feminist theory medieval philosophy
beat generation forensic science modern slavery
bioethics french revolution oil
british politics galaxies philosophy of religion
censorship gender & sexuality political philosophy
climate change globalization racism
conspiracy theories history of science radical philosophy
crimes against humanity human rights renaissance art
engineering humanism romanticism
ethics immigration socialism
existentialism indigenous peoples time
extrasolar planets literary theory volcanoes
Prelims.qxp 1/8/2008 12:17 PM Page iii
The Brain
A Beginner’s Guide
Ammar Al-Chalabi, Martin R. Turner
and R. Shane Delamont
Prelims.qxp 1/8/2008 12:17 PM Page iv
A Oneworld Book
First published by Oneworld Publications, 2006
First published in the new Beginners Guide series, 2008
Copyright © Ammar Al-Chalabi, Martin R. Turner,
R. Shane Delamont, 2006
All rights reserved
Copyright under Berne Convention
A CIP record for this title is available
from the British Library
ISBN 978–1–85168–594–3
Typeset by Jayvee, Trivandrum, India
Cover design by Two Associates
Printed and bound in Great Britain by XXX
Oneworld Publications
185 Banbury Road
Oxford OX2 7AR
England
www.oneworld-publications.com
Learn more about Oneworld. Join our mailing list to
find out about our latest titles and special offers at:
www.oneworld-publications.com
Prelims.qxp 1/8/2008 12:17 PM Page v
Contents
Preface viii
Acknowledgements ix
List of plates x
Section 1: Introducing the brain
Introduction: In the beginning . . . 3
1 The history of the human brain 6
– so it does do something after all
2 The evolution of the brain – 15
how the brain came to be
3 Nerves – the body electric 27
Section 2: Making a brain and mind
from one cell
4 The development of the brain – 43
growing a nervous system
Prelims.qxp 1/8/2008 12:17 PM Page vi
vi Contents
5 The anatomy of the brain – 54
understanding the grand plan
6 The supporting structures of the 78
brain – what a brain needs to survive
7 The development of behaviour and 87
reasoning – learning to be human
Section 3: Having and using a
brain as an adult
8 Consciousness – the ultimate 107
mystery
9 Memory – putting the past into 124
perspective
10 Sleep – bedtime for the brain 135
11 The motor system – making 147
movement and motion
12 The sensory system – feel the 156
world
13 The visuospatial system – making 166
light work
Prelims.qxp 1/8/2008 12:17 PM Page vii
Contents vii
14 Language, hearing and music – 177
making sense of sound
15 Emotions and the limbic system – 192
the heart and the head
16 Investigating the brain – 201
discovering the diagnosis
17 Living for ever – the fountain of 214
youth
18 The end? 222
Appendix: Eric Chudler’s brain facts 223
and figures
Glossary 239
Further reading 250
Index 251
Prelims.qxp 1/8/2008 12:17 PM Page viii
Preface
When we were first approached to write this book, it was with
a mixture of excitement and trepidation that we said yes:
excitement because the brain is the essence of who we are and
trepidation because the brain is the least understood of all organs.
This book is aimed at the intelligent, educated reader. We have
tried to keep the jargon as low as possible, but the content
remains challenging. The emphasis is on a scientific perspective:
we aim to lead the reader from a state of assumed ignorance to
an understanding of cells, neurons, brains and brain functions,
such as consciousness, explaining the development of the
nervous system and the development of the mind along the way.
We have tried to keep it as up to date as possible, but the 1990s
were the Decade of the Brain, with huge investment in neuro-
science. As a result, there has been an explosion in research and
it is possible that some of the concepts in the book will be
overturned in the next few years. Although we have kept to
facts for the basics, for some aspects of the brain we can only
provide opinions, because few facts exist, but these opinions are
based on our existing knowledge. We are all neuroscientists and
neurologists dealing with the brain every day and some of the
ideas in this book are therefore our own original thoughts. As far
as possible, we have tried to explain parallel concepts needed to
understand the workings of the brain, especially where these are
not related to neuroscience directly. It has been a wonderful
experience putting our thoughts on paper, and we hope you
enjoy reading this book as much as we enjoyed writing it.
Ammar Al-Chalabi, Martin R. Turner and
R. Shane Delamont
Prelims.qxp 1/8/2008 12:17 PM Page ix
Acknowledgements
Many people have been instrumental in making this book possi-
ble. We want to thank our kind and very patient editor, Victoria
Roddam at Oneworld, our all knowing and highly skilled
copyeditor, Ann Grand, and the unknown test readers whose
suggestions have greatly improved the manuscript. Many friends
and family have helped immeasurably by reading or listening
patiently to different versions of the text, often many times over.
In particular, this book would not have been possible without
the support of Cathy Richards, Sally Coutts and Sue Richards.
Illustrations throughout the book are by Charlotte James, our
excellent and sharp artist.
Chapter contributions were: overall editing for style, AAC;
introduction AAC; chapter 1, The history of the human brain
MRT; chapter 2, The evolution of the brain AAC; chapter 3,
Nerves AAC; chapter 4, The development of the brain AAC;
chapter 5, The anatomy of the brain MRT; chapter 6, The
supporting structures of the brain MRT; chapter 7, The devel-
opment of behaviour and reasoning AAC; chapter 8, Con-
sciousness AAC; chapter 9, Memory RSD and AAC; chapter
10, Sleep RSD and AAC; chapter 11, The motor system AAC;
chapter 12, The sensory system AAC and RSD, chapter 13, The
visuospatial system MRT; chapter 14, Language, hearing and
music AAC; chapter 15, Emotions and the limbic system AAC
and RSD; chapter 16, Investigating the brain MRT; chapter 17,
Living for ever AAC; chapter 18, The end? AAC.
