Behavioral Neuroscience: An Introduction: by Carl W. Cotman and James L. McGauch, Academic Press, 1980. £6.25/$13.50 (xvi + 838 pages) ISBN 0 12 191650 3

Content Provider	Semantic Scholar
Author	Kelley, Darcy B.
Copyright Year	1982
Abstract	It is getting harder and harder to write a textbook on physiological psychology. Behavioral Neuroscience is a partially successful attempt which illustrates the pitfalls of such an enterprise. What must such a text cover? Some or all of behavior, physiology and neurobiology. The solo author is obliged to be a highly articulate polymath. The alternative contributions from multiple authors was adopted by Cotman and McGough. The result is a stylistically variegated work which covers a lot of ground. The general level of accuracy is high and includes material through the late 1970s. Among one's colleagues who teach this subject, however, there is some feeling that the book is already out of date. The opening chapters describe the general plan of the CNS and consider, in detail, the physiology and biophysics of neuronal function. The next topic, learning and memory, is treated at length. One chapter covers audition, the chemical senses and somesthesis while vision and movement have a chapter each. The final third of this volume covers the traditional subjects of physiological psychology: feeding, sleeping, sex, development and behavioral disorders. The concluding chapter deals with consciousness. Behavioral Neuroscience is written with varying styles which impart a feeling of unevenness. The introductory material is gushing while a sterner style pervades as one gets into the details. The illustrations are peculiarly fuzzy. The intent may have been to convey dynamics but the result is confusing. The overall emphasis is on the mammalian nervous system with an occasional slug, fly, frog or bird brought in to illustrate specific points. A recurrent theme is that of learning and plasticity and this is well integrated with the specific subjects. 451
File Format	PDF HTM / HTML
DOI	10.1016/0166-2236(82)90244-2
Volume Number	5
Alternate Webpage(s)	https://api.elsevier.com/content/article/pii/0166223682902442
Alternate Webpage(s)	https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0166223682902442?dgcid=api_sd_search-api-endpoint
Alternate Webpage(s)	https://doi.org/10.1016/0166-2236%2882%2990244-2
Journal	Trends in Neurosciences
Language	English
Access Restriction	Open
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article