Phantoms in the Brain [Paperback]

V S Ramachandran (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 20, 1999

'Phantoms in The Brain' takes a revolutionary new approach to theories of the brain, from one of the world's leading experimental neurologists. 'Phantoms in The Brain', using a series of case histories, introduces strange and unexplored mental worlds. Ramachandran, through his research into brain damage, has discovered that the brain is continually organising itself in response to change. A woman maintains that her left arm is not paralysed, a young man loses his right arm in a motorcycle accident, yet he continues to feel a phantom arm with vivid sensation of movement. In a series of experiments using nothing more than Q-tips and dribbles of warm water the young man helped Ramachandran discover how the brain is remapped after injury. Ramachandran believes that cases such as these illustrate fundamental principles of how the human brain operates. The brain 'needs to create a "script" or a story to make sense of the world, a unified and internally consistent belief system'. Ramachandran's radical new approach will have far-reaching effects.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Dr Vilayanur Ramachandran is professor of Neuroscience and Psychology at UC San Diego. He is a leader in the field of brain research. He has published over 80 papers, edited a 4-volume Encyclopedia of Human Behavior and has appeared on numerous TV programmes. Sandra Blakeslee is an award-winning science writer for the NY Times.

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Harpercollins Pb (May 20, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1857028953
• ISBN-13: 978-1857028959
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #986,251 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Nice book, January 3, 2012

By 

Maverick - See all my reviews

This review is from: Phantoms in the Brain (Paperback)

If you are not a science guy but want to learn about brain, then this is it. This book deals with phantom limbs (superficial limbs felt by patients who got them amputated). The cases Ramachandran talks about is astonishing and amazing and I hope it to be a wonderful read.

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I hated neurology until I read this book, December 9, 2010

By 

Trex (Madrid) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Phantoms in the Brain (Paperback)

Amazing the easiness in reading how our brain works!! Many study cases which help to understand brain circuits. I am a psychology student and I used to hate anything related to biology and fisiology but this book is making me love neurosiences.