23 Problems in Systems Neuroscience (Computational Neuroscience Series) [Hardcover]

J. Leo van Hemmen (Editor), Terrence J. Sejnowski (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0195148223 | ISBN-13: 978-0195148220 | Publication Date: December 8, 2005 | Edition: 1

The complexity of the brain and the protean nature of behavior remain the most elusive area of science, but also the most important. van Hemmen and Sejnowski invited 23 experts from the many areas--from evolution to qualia--of systems neuroscience to formulate one problem each. Although each chapter was written independently and can be read separately, together they provide a useful roadmap to the field of systems neuroscience and will serve as a source of inspirations for future explorers of the brain.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Neuroscience has a rather briefer history than mathematics, but Leo van Hemmen and Terry Sejnowski felt that it was nonetheless mature enough for them to organize a meeting on Problems in Neuroscience a century after Hilberts address. This printed version of their meeting, 23 Problems in Systems Neuroscience, has taken six years to arrive, but it is not too late and certainly not too little. In the place of one Hilbert are 40 problem-posers who have collectively contributed the 23 chapters, grouped into sections that sum up 5 current concerns: How have brains evolved? How is cerebral cortex organized? How do neurons interact? What can brains compute? How are cognitive systems organized? With such an attractive list of topics, this book is sure to find a wide audience at every level of interest, from lay readers to students and academics."--Kevan A.C. Martin, Nature

"Forty authors contribute twenty-three chapters in this book. Divided into five sections, this book reflects the interaction between genetics and morphology, function, and a possible influence in behavior. The difficulty of the topic is explained in accessible manner by leading world authorities. The illustrations are self-explanatory and the references, up-to-date. In my view, there are hardly any shortcomings in the book." --Celso Agner, MD, MSc(Albany Medical Center), Doody's

"The chapters read well, are well illustrated, and have useful reference sections. Even if your favorite area of neurosceince is not covered, you will find plenty to interest you in this volume."--Physiology News

About the Author

J. Leo van Hemmen is at Technical University Munich. Terrence J. Sejnowski is at Salk Institute for Biological Studies.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 548 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; 1 edition (December 8, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195148223
• ISBN-13: 978-0195148220
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,507,776 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars Ok, but not quite there yet., December 6, 2011

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Qoph - See all my reviews

This review is from: 23 Problems in Systems Neuroscience (Computational Neuroscience Series) (Hardcover)

Should this book have been written by a single author it would have been great. Not to say that the authors of the individual chapters are not good, by the contrary, they are very well established and exceptional neuroscientists, but the book lacks a bit of structure. It bounces around, with each author pulling his own, lacking any really serious in-depth insight about the individual subjects at hand. None the less, it is worth the read, since some of the chapters (in my own very biased opinion, Gilles Laurent's and Larry Abbot's chapters) are thought provoking.