Carpenter's Neurophysiology: A Conceptual Approach

by Dunecan Massey, Nick Cunniffe, Imran Noorani

Overview

Neurophysiology: A Conceptual Approach offers a refreshing alternative to ‘learning by rote’. Under new authorship, the sixth edition preserves the legacy of the original author, the late Roger Carpenter, retaining the concise approach and readable style so central to its predecessors. Integrating the disciplines of neurology and neuroscience with an emphasis on principles and functional concepts, this comprehensive textbook covers the entire subject of neurophysiology, from the conduction of nerve impulses to the higher functions of the brain, within a single accessible volume.

Key Features:

• Everything the student of medicine or physiology needs to understand neurophysiology.
• Blends successfully the principles of neuroscience with clinical manifestations in line with modern undergraduate curriculums.
• Revised and updated, with a particular focus on proprioception, skin sense and hearing, including developments in cochlear implants, and functional MRI
• Over 500 illustrations, accompanied by full figure legends, also available as a download for use in presentations.
• Choice of PB with bundled ebook, durable HB or ebook only for complete flexibility

Full of explanatory colour diagrams, the book remains an unrivalled ‘one-stop shop’ for students of medicine, physiology and applied physiology, neurophysiology, neuroscience, and other bioscience disciplines seeking an integrated introduction to the challenging disciplines of neuroscience and neurology.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780367340605
Publisher:	CRC Press
Publication date:	01/13/2022
Edition description:	6th ed.
Pages:	350
Product dimensions:	8.25(w) x 11.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Dunecan Massey is Assistant Director of Studies in Medical Science; Bye-Fellow; Undergraduate Tutor; Gonville & Caius College, University of Cambridge, UK

Nick Cunniffe is a Neurology Specialty Registrar, Department of Neurology, Addenbrooke’s Hospital; Clinical Research Fellow, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK

Imran Noorani is a Neurosurgery NIHR Academic Clinical Fellow, Department of Neurosurgery, Addenbrooke’s Hospital and University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK

Table of Contents

Preface to the sixth edition ix

Preface to the fifth edition xi

Preface to the fourth edition xiii

Preface to the third edition xv

Preface to the first and second editions xvii

Part 1 Neural mechanisms

1 The study of the brain 3

2 Communication within neurons 18

3 Communication between neurons 47

Part 2 Sensory functions

4 Skin sense 77

5 Proprioception 99

6 Hearing 110

7 Vision 128

8 Smell and taste 174

Part 3 Motor functions

9 Motor systems 189

10 Local motor control 200

11 The control of posture 215

Part 4 Higher functions

12 Higher motor control 227

13 Associational cortex and memory 249

14 Motivation and the control of behaviour 275

Appendix: Techniques for studying the brain 301

Figure References 309

Index 313

Editorial Reviews

Reviewer: Lara Basovic, MD (Thomas Jefferson University)
Description: This guide is an update to the previous fifth edition published in 2012. It provides an in-depth exploration of all facets of neurophysiology, starting with basic anatomy and neurochemical principles, and then detailing sensory, motor, and higher cortical functions. At least one color photograph, diagram, or table supplements the main text on each page. Each subsection also contains multiple "Clinical Boxes," which elaborate on a particular clinical application of the neurophysiological principles discussed in the section. The previous edition's online Neurolab feature has been omitted, although the textbook itself remains available for full access online.
Purpose: This book, and the editions that came before it, intends to reinvigorate students' approach to physiology, and assist them in learning to bridge basic principles with higher-level applications. This sixth edition provides a timely update to the previous edition. This is particularly seen through significant revisions to the clinical vignettes that tie together preclinical science and clinical neurological practice with discussion of diagnostic features, prognosis, and clinical management.
Audience: This book is intended for readers still early in their neuroscience career, such as students in preclinical years at medical school, or undergraduate students taking advanced physiology courses. However, the deep exploration of fundamental concepts means that the text remains relevant for neuroscientists, neurologists, and neurophysiologists alike. In light of the passing of the original author, Roger Carpenter, after the fifth edition's publication, this volume takes on a fresh tone under new authors, all of whom trained under the illustrious Dr. Carpenter himself.
Features: The volume begins with discussion of basic concepts such as neurotransmitters and neuroanatomy in the "Neural Mechanisms" section, then progresses to explorations of sensory and then motor functions. The fourth and final portion, which details higher cortical functions, is the natural conclusion to the preceding sections, and a strength of the book as a whole. Numerous diagrams and illustrations supplement the narrative throughout, bringing to life nuances that may not be as easily conveyed through text alone. The authors also include many inventive real-life analogies to facilitate understanding of the topic at hand - for example, a topographic map of the countryside is compared to the body's array of cutaneous sensory receptors, and the hierarchy of a platoon is juxtaposed with the organization of a muscle unit. Footnotes sprinkled throughout the text provide further context and reading suggestions. Each chapter also contains pithy "Clinical Boxes," which expound upon related clinical applications. Of particular note is the Clinical Box that provides a detailed description of Parkinson's and Huntington's diseases and coincides with the subsection detailing basal ganglia function and dysfunction.
Assessment: This book allows readers to craft a strong foundation of the principles of neurophysiology and rely upon this framework for lifelong application of this subject. Although relatively little revision to the scientific content was necessary for this new edition, the sixth edition shines in its increased focus on practical application of physiologic concepts. This renders it more relevant to learners such as medical students, who may otherwise have struggled to integrate this knowledge into the next phase of their training. This edition also benefits from being crafted by authors who were educated by Dr. Carpenter's earlier versions, as they are clearly well-versed in appealing to pupils through a less didactic and more integrated method of learning. This edition is a worthy successor to its predecessors, and a commendable contribution to the neuroscience canon in its own right.

Doody's Review Service

'This book allows readers to craft a strong foundation of the principles of neurophysiology and rely upon this framework for lifelong application of this subject. [...] This edition is a worthy successor to its predecessors, and a commendable contribution to the neuroscience canon in its own right.'

Lara Basovic, MD, Thomas Jefferson University, Doody Enterprises

From the Publisher