The New Brain How the Modern Age Is Rewiring Your Mind

by Restak, Richard

• ISBN13: 9781579545017
• ISBN10: 1579545017
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2003-08-23
• Publisher: Rodale Books

Summary

The era of the New Brain is upon us. Once a mysterious, hidden organ locked within our skulls, modern brain science now provides us with insights about the brain that only a few decades ago would have been considered the stuff of science fiction. We can now study the brain in "real time," witnessing how it functions while taking a test, practicing a craft, experiencing an emotion, or making a decision. Brain tests can even indicate when we're telling the truth or when we're lying. Dr. Richard Restak reports from the frontiers of modern brain science and asks the relevant questions such as, is Attention Deficit Disorder the brain syndrome of the future? Is it a "normal" response to the modern world's demand to attend to several things at once? What happens in our brains when the image replaces language as the primary means of communication? How does exposure to violent imagery affect our brains? Are we capable of "genius" and training our brains to perform at a superior level? The New Brainis the story of technology and biology converging to influence the evolution of the human brain. Dramatic advances are now possible, as well as the potential for misuse and abuse. Dr. Restak, author of more than 15 books on the brain, leads you through the latest research and the expanding field of cognitive science, explains its implications, and even offers practical advice such as how to: * Understand and mitigate the affects of media images and technology on our thoughts and emotions * Estimate the effects of stress on our brain function and how to predict who is at greatest risk for harm * Develop the habits that result in peak brain performance No longer science fiction or fantasy,The New Brainrecounts what our brains are capable of-- today.

Author Biography

Richard Restak is clinical professor of neurology at George Washington University Medical Center in Washington, D.C.

Table of Contents

Introduction	p. 3
Brain Plasticity: Your Brain Changes Every Day	p. 7
Genius and Superior Performance: Are We All Capable?	p. 14
Attention Deficit: The Brain Syndrome of Our Era	p. 38
More Images Than Ever: Is It Destabilizing Our Brains?	p. 63
The Happy Brain: The Joy and Music in You	p. 90
Modern Imaging Techniques: Windows on the Mind	p. 104
Cosmetic Psychopharmacology	p. 121
Healing the Diseased Brain: New Attempts at Brain Repair	p. 148
The New Brain	p. 188
Bibliography	p. 213
Index	p. 217
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