Rhythms of the Brain by Gyorgy Buzsaki

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Synopsis

Studies of mechanisms in the brain that allow complicated things to happen in a coordinated fashion have produced some of the most spectacular discoveries in neuroscience. This book provides eloquent support for the idea that spontaneous neuron activity, far from being mere noise, is actually the source of our cognitive abilities. It takes a fresh look at the co-evolution of structure and function in the mammalian brain, illustrating how self-emerged oscillatory timing is the brains fundamental organizer of neuronal information. The small world-like connectivity of the cerebral cortex allows for global computation on multiple spatial and temporal scales. The perpetual interactions among the multiple network oscillators keep cortical systems in a highly sensitive metastable state and provide energy-efficient synchronizing mechanisms via weak links.
In a sequence of cycles, Gyorgy Buzsaki guides the reader from the physics of oscillations through neuronal assembly organization to complex cognitive processing and memory storage. His clear, fluid writing accessible to any reader with some scientific knowledge is supplemented by extensive footnotes and references that make it just as gratifying and instructive a read for the specialist. The coherent view of a single author who has been at the forefront of research in this exciting field, this volume is essential reading for anyone interested in our rapidly evolving understanding of the brain.

Doody Review Services

Reviewer:Christopher J. Graver, PhD (Madigan Army Medical Center)
Description:This book covers the exciting work being done in the area of brain rhythms and oscillatory sequences. It explains current knowledge on the origins of brain rhythms, the different types of rhythms, and the effect of experience on these oscillations.
Purpose:The intention of this book is to provide information on the multiple oscillatory networks that operate throughout the brain. It focuses on how complicated processes can occur in a coordinated fashion through specific brain rhythms and specially designed brain structures.
Audience:The author states that this book is geared towards a "general audience." While it's not quite that broad or accessible, it certainly is appropriate for psychologists, cognitive neuroscientists, and readers interested in brain development. The book does not require a graduate level education to be comprehendible, but some background in neurophysiology would be helpful. The author is a credible source.
Features:The way in which structure defines function in the brain is the first topic the book tackles. It progresses through chapters on the different types of brain rhythms, excitation versus inhibition, complex systems of rhythms, and the changes in rhythms that occur with learning. Later chapters address hippocampal-specific rhythms that are related to episodic and semantic memory, as well as landmark navigation. The final chapter addresses difficult problems in this field. Each chapter is divided into subsections and ends with a concise summary of the chapter contents. Although there are figures designedto summarize the data, they can be confusing and the print quality leaves something to be desired. A book of this type would be well served by a companion CD-ROM that provides actual brain slices, full color pictures, and animated sequences to demonstrate the principles being described.
Assessment:This is definitely an intriguing book that provides a comprehensive review of current knowledge on brain rhythms. It also provides new insights from the author's perspective on related topics. It is not, however, appropriate for a "general audience" in the typical style of Oliver Sacks. It requires at least a basic background in neurophysiology and familiarity with the notations, figures, and terminology of cognitive neuroscience. Nevertheless, for those at more advanced levels, this book is worth the time.

Biography

Gyorgy Buzsaki is a Board of Governors Professor of Neuroscience at Rutgers University. His primary research interests are in brain oscillations, sleep and memory, and with more than 200 papers published on these topics, he is among the top 250 most-cited neuroscientists. Dr. Buzsaki is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and honorary member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, and he sits on the editorial boards of several leading neuroscience journals.