Description

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.

Reviews

"Highly original exposition of a broad swathe of modern neuroscience. Indeed, it brings together so many apparently disparate strands, and levels on the reductionistic scale, that it deserves a must read score, especially for neuroscientists looking to get an up-to-date and challenging exposition of many of the big questions, even if they are not fundamentally interested in oscillations per se...If sharp wave ripples, associated with consummatory behavior in rodents, have the same connotations in humans, they too will likely occur in the readers brain as a reward for the attention this book deserves."--Neuron

"The book is beautifully written...This book is seriously recommended for those who truly wonder about the brain and its function."--Neuroscience

"György Buzsáki's Rhythms of the Brain is an excellent compendium on the rapidly expanding research into the mechanisms and functions of neuronal synchronization. Buzsáki presents such synchronization as a binding glue that integrates many levels of neuroscientific investigation with one another and with neighboring disciplines...Buzsáki manages to elegantly integrate insights from physics, engineering, and cognitive psychology with contributions from cellular, systems, cognitive, and theoretical neuroscience."--Science

"This is definitely an intriguing book that provides a comprehensive review of current knowledge on brain rhythms...this book is worth the time."--Doody's

"In Rhythms of the Brain, György Buzsáki does a remarkable job of summarizing a vast body of literature on the topic...The book is a 'must read' for anyone interested in understanding the functioning of large and complex brain circuits."--Nature

"What makes this book so valuable is its range; Buzsáki has a worldly intellect, open to information from any discipline that provides insight, while insisting on a rigorous distinction between fact and baloney...Perhaps the greatest value of Rhythms of the Brain is that it provides a starting point for students and scientists who see the importance of this field and want to get a solid overview."--Nature Neuroscience

"In this entertaining monograph the author addresses issues related to the genesis of brain rhythms and their contribution to the "invisible operations of the brain"...one of the most thought-provoking and fun books in neuroscience that I have read in some time."--Mathematical Reviews

Product Details

464 pages; 18 halftones, 68 line illus.; 6-1/8 x 9-1/4; ISBN13: 978-0-19-530106-9ISBN10: 0-19-530106-4

About the Author(s)