Introducing Neuropsychology: 2nd Edition

by Stirling; John

• ISBN13: 9781841696546
• ISBN10: 1841696544
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Nonspecific Binding
• Copyright: 2008-08-13
• Publisher: Psychology Pres

Summary

Introducing Neuropsychology, Second Editioninvestigates the functions of the brain and explores the relationships between brain systems and human behaviour. The material is presented in a jargon-free, easy to understand manner and aims to guide students new to the field through current areas of research. Following a brief history of the discipline and a description of methods in neuropsychology, the remaining chapters review traditional and recent research findings. Both cognitive and clinical aspects of neuropsychology are addressed to illustrate the advances scientists are making (on many fronts) in their quest to understand brain - behaviour relationships in both normal and disturbed functioning. The rapid developments in neuropsychology and cognitive neuroscience resulting from traditional research methods as well as new brain-imaging techniques are presented in a clear and straightforward way. Each chapter has been fully revised and updated and new brain-imaging data are incorporated throughout, especially in the later chapters on Emotion and Motivation, and Executive Functions. As in the first edition, key topics are dealt with in separate focus boxes, and interim comment sections allow the reader a chance to take stock at regular intervals. The book assumes no particular expertise on the reader's part in either psychology or brain physiology. Thus, it will be of great interest not only to those studying neuropsychology and cognitive neuroscience, but also to medical and nursing students, and indeed anyone who is interested in learning about recent progress in understanding brainbehaviour relationships.

Author Biography

John Stirling has worked at Manchester Polytechnic/MMU for over 30 years, teaching Bio and Neuropsychology, Psychopathology and Experimental Design and Statistics. He has published over 30 scientific journal articles, and three books. Rebecca Elliott has worked at the University of Manchester for 8 years, using brain-imaging techniques to study emotion and cognition in psychiatric disorders. She has published over 50 scientific research articles.

Table of Contents

Preface to the series	p. vii
Preface to the second edition	p. viii
Preface to the first edition	p. xi
The foundations of neuropsychology	p. 3
Introduction	p. 3
Neuropsychology as a distinct discipline	p. 3
The (re)emergence of neuropsychology	p. 12
Chapter summary	p. 19
Methods in neuropsychology	p. 21
Introduction	p. 21
Invasive techniques for measuring brain structure and function	p. 22
Electrical procedures	p. 25
In-vivo imaging	p. 27
Neuropsychological assessment	p. 32
Chapter summary	p. 37
Lateralisation	p. 41
Introduction	p. 41
Structural differences	p. 42
Unilateral neurological damage	p. 44
The split-brain syndrome	p. 45
Asymmetries in normal individuals	p. 57
Individual differences in brain organisation	p. 60
Lateralisation: A footnote on the evolutionary perspective	p. 67
Chapter summary	p. 68
Somatosensation and neuroplasticity	p. 71
Introduction	p. 71
General features of sensory systems	p. 72
The somatosensory system	p. 72
Plasticity in the somatosensory cortex	p. 78
Neuroplasticity beyond S1	p. 84
Chapter summary	p. 90
Motor control and movement disorders	p. 93
Introduction	p. 93
Brain-spinal cord pathways	p. 94
The cerebellum	p. 96
The basal ganglia	p. 98
The cortex	p. 103
Peripheral and spinal movement disorders	p. 113
Cortical movement disorders	p. 115
Subcortical movement disorders	p. 119
Chapter summary	p. 126
Language and the brain	p. 129
Introduction	p. 129
The classic neurological approach and aphasia	p. 130
Connectionist models of language	p. 134
The psycholinguistic approach	p. 138
The modern era of language research	p. 139
Language and laterality	p. 149
Chapter summary	p. 150
Memory and amnesia	p. 153
Introduction	p. 153
Short-term memory and working memory	p. 154
Long-term memory	p. 157
Anterograde amnesia and non-declarative memory	p. 160
Anterograde amnesia and declarative memory	p. 164
Memory processes	p. 168
Retrograde amnesia and autobiographical memory	p. 171
Chapter summary	p. 175
Visual object recognition and spatial processing	p. 177
Introduction	p. 177
The "what" and "where" streams and visual perception	p. 178
The ventral stream and object recognition	p. 181
Functional imaging of object recognition	p. 190
Imaging category specificity	p. 195
Spatial functions and the "where" stream	p. 197
Basic spatial processes	p. 197
Chapter summary	p. 204
Attention and consciousness	p. 207
Introduction	p. 207
Types of attention	p. 208
Issues in psychological investigations of attention	p. 209
Attention and the brain	p. 215
Neurological attentional disorders	p. 226
Towards an integrated model of attention	p. 232
Consciousness	p. 237
Chapter summary	p. 253
Emotion and motivation	p. 257
Introduction	p. 257
Definitions and measurement of emotion and motivation	p. 258
Evidence from neurology and neuropsychology	p. 265
The interaction between somatic and emotional systems	p. 269
The interaction between emotional and cognitive systems	p. 272
Neuroimaging of emotion and motivation	p. 273
Social neuroscience	p. 279
Impairments of emotion, motivation, and social function	p. 284
Chapter summary	p. 285
Executive functions	p. 289
Introduction	p. 289
Domains of executive dysfunction	p. 290
Task switching and multi-tasking	p. 295
Issues with "executive tests"	p. 297
Underlying mechanisms of executive function	p. 298
The brain and executive function/dysfunction	p. 299
Specialisation within the prefrontal cortex	p. 302
Executive dysfunction and psychiatric disorders	p. 305
Chapter summary	p. 307
Appendix: A primer of nervous system structure and function	p. 311
Introduction	p. 311
Neurons and glia	p. 312
Nerve impulses and synaptic transmission	p. 313
Developmental and ageing aspects	p. 317
Dividing up the nervous system	p. 318
Chapter summary	p. 326
Further reading	p. 327
Glossary	p. 333
References	p. 339
Author index	p. 373
Subject index	p. 385
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