Kognitiv neurovidenskab og neurovidenskabelig adfærdsforskning

Hvorfor har vi musik? Vi har altid haft musik. Det ældste kendte musikinstrument er omkring40.000 år gammelt. Det peger på, at musik ikke kun har en æstetiskfunktion – ellers ville evolutionen have fjernet den undervejs. Vi spiserfor at overleve, har sex for at opretholde arten, indsamler viden for at udvikle os og optimere vores overlevelsesmuligheder – men hvorfor musikken? Når vi foretager os noget godt for vores overlevelse, udløses der et stof i vores hjerner, som vækker en følelse af nydelse – og vi ved, at oplevelsen af musik gør det samme. Musikken er altså vigtig for os, men på hvilken måde? I Musik på hjernen undersøger Peter Vuust, hvad der sker i hjernen, når vi lytter til og spiller musik. Bliver vi klogere? Mere opmærksomme eller følsomme over for andre? Og hvad med sproget –hvordan hænger det sammen med vores opfattelse af musik? Ved at undersøge forskellen på musikeres og ikke-musikeres hjerner, om der findes et særligt gen for musik, nærmer vi os et svar på, hvorfor vi alle– i større eller mindre grad – har musik på hjernen.

Free will is the foundation of western society, dictating our notions of fairness and justice, punishment and reward, and our very identity as individuals. But as world-renowned scientist Robert Sapolsky shows, there is not a shred of evidence to suggest that free will exists. What would happen if we accepted that free will is a powerful illusion?

To danske, meget erfarne børnepsykologer gennemgår i deres nye bog metoder, som integrerer psykoterapi med neuropsykologi og kognitionspsykologi i det terapeutiske arbejde med børn. Metoder, hvor man arbejder med at udvikle barnets erkendelse og med at ændre negative tænkemåder, således at der skabes mulighed for nye måder at handle på - eller den anden vej rundt: man afprøver nye handlinger og vurderer deres resultater, således at man når frem til en ny måde at tænke sig og omverdenen på.Med basis i en anerkendende holdning viser forfattere med konkrete eksempler, hvordan de forskellige terapeutiske elementer anvendes i praksis, og demonstrerer, at terapi ikke kun finder sted på behandlerens kontor. Der kan gøres brug af terapeutiske elementer i barnets daglige miljø, i hverdagens aktiviteter sammen med andre børn og voksne.Bogen henvender sig til alle, der arbejder med børn med sociale og emotionelle vanskeligheder, fx psykologer, lærere, pædagoger, psykiatere, læger og sundhedsplejersker samt til forældre, der ønsker indsigt i, hvordan de kan støtte deres barn.

This book is the result of extensive archival research conducted on the Collection "e;Silvano Arieti Papers"e; held in the Manuscript Division of the Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. It offers readers the first scientific biography of the renowned Italian-born psychiatrist Silvano Arieti, who in 1939 emigrated to the United States, where he gained fame and recognition for his work on schizophrenia. In 1975, the second edition of his book, Interpretation of Schizophrenia, received the National Book Award in Science.The book has been cast as a twofold journey: an exploration of the life of a psychiatrist and scientist and an overview of twentieth century psychiatry and its significant issues, debates, and transformations. Readers will find useful insights for a better understanding of psychiatry as a discipline capable of portraying the complexity of human nature. 

For as long as we've studied the mind, we've believed that information flowing from our senses determines what our mind perceives. But as our understanding has advanced in the last few decades, a hugely powerful new view has flipped this assumption on its head. The brain is not a passive receiver, but an ever-active predictor.At the forefront of this cognitive revolution is widely acclaimed philosopher and cognitive scientist Andy Clark, who has synthesized his ground-breaking work on the predictive brain to explore its fascinating mechanics and implications. Among the most stunning of these is the realization that experience itself, because it is guided by prior expectation, is a kind of controlled hallucination. We don't passively take in the world around us; instead our mind is constantly making and refining predictions about what we expect to see. This even applies to our bodies, as the way we experience pain and other states is shaped by our expectations, and this has broader implications for the understanding and treatment of conditions from PTSD to schizophrenia to medically unexplained symptoms. From the most mundane experiences to the most sublime, it is our predictions that sculpt our experience.A landmark study of cognitive science, The Experience Machine lays out the extraordinary explanatory power of the predictive brain for our lives, mental health and society.

How kindness—and other prosocial behaviors toward others—can help us live longer and healthier lives.The science is in: being good is actually good for you. In this bracingly original book, The Biology of Kindness—the first in a trilogy on the topic of daily wellness—the science of mindfulness and the findings of biology come together to show how kindness and optimism improve overall well-being in profound, organic, and demonstrable ways. Daniel Lumera, an expert in meditation and mindfulness, and Immaculata De Vivo, a preeminent researcher in molecular epidemiology, outline a revolutionary approach to health, longevity, and quality of life—and explain the scientific evidence that supports their work.Identifying five fundamental values—kindness, optimism, forgiveness, gratitude, and happiness—and describing six essential strategies for cultivating these values—relationships, nutrition, physical activity, meditation, music, and connection with nature—De Vivo and Lumera chart a practical course for pursuing a long, healthy, and happy life. Along the way they provide the scientific data that reveal the impact such behavior has on biology, particularly on telomeres, the parts of DNA that serve as biomarkers of aging. While DNA is mostly immutable, telomeres are influenced by our choices, and The Biology of Kindness offers incontrovertible evidence that what is commonly ascribed to “spiritual” well-being has a clear and direct impact on physical health, helping to buffer premature aging and decrease the incidence of chronic disease.At a time when life seems to be ruled by a desire to get “everything and immediately,” Lumera observes, there is a compelling case to be made for the discipline of devotion, dedication, and passion—for the good of the body as well as the soul.

"Based on his decades of experience working with newborn chicks and other species, Vallortigara gives us a clear and accessible account of behaviors that are considered to be innate or instinctive"--

This state-of-the-art book brings together the full range of issues that can inform care for patients experiencing the effects of concussion.    Written by an international panel of experts and edited by a critical care physician and by a cognitive neuroscientist, the book serves as a primer of the various domains of study and application, while providing clinical insights and evidence to bring towards treatment. Chapters span the basic mechanics and pathophysiology of concussion, through its assessment, management, and complications.   Comprehensive and timely, this book is accessible to healthcare professionals, and researchers eager to learn something about this field. 

This book comprehensively reviews the relationship between micronutrients and brain in health and diseases. It explains the relationship between micronutrients and brain functions, neurogenesis, and cognitive functions. The book also explores the relationship between micronutrients and brain disorders including depression, epilepsy, PD, and Autism. It further explores the recent advancements in understanding the important role of micronutrients as therapeutics in various brain disorders like TBI and AD. Lastly, it presents an overview of micronutrients as neuroprotective agents along with the main principles of nutrigenomics.

"Is our physical universe actually a virtual simulation that is thought into existence by consciousness? Noted astrophysicist, Bernard Haisch explores the frontiers of science, consciousness, and God, revolutionizing our understanding of the Universe and what's behind it all. Without consciousness there is nothing. Have you ever wondered why and how the world around you came to exist, and whether there might be an afterlife experience awaiting you after our physical bodies die? Might there actually be a God and a heaven of some sort? The hypothesis presented in this book is that our seemingly physical universe of matter and energy is a virtual simulation which is thought into existence by a universal consciousness which we call God. A reason for a universal consciousness to do such a thing could be to experience and evolve itself through the free will actions of its offspring. This would entail thinking into existence a virtual universe so as to interact with such a universe and each other. Literally everything is consciousness in action, resulting in a gigantic cosmic simulation. We and other creatures are offspring of this God consciousness. The Miracle of Our Universe explores the forefront of science and spirituality research including: Are near-death experiences real? What is the Zero-Point Field? What kind of being could God be? Is there some place that God could have come from? How does the Big Bang figure into this? It there an afterlife and what could it be like? What is the purpose of life? Is consciousness all there is? Is the Universe a virtual reality? Why is Hell impossible? "--

This book develops and details a rigorous, canonical modeling approach for analyzing spatio-temporal brain wave dynamics. The nonlinear, nonstationary behavior of brain wave measures and general uncertainty associated with the brain makes it difficult to apply modern system identification techniques to such systems. While there is a substantial amount of literature on the use of stationary analyses for brain waves, relatively less work has considered real-time estimation and imaging of brain waves from noninvasive measurements. This book addresses the issue of modeling and imaging brain waves and biomarkers generally, treating the nonlinear and nonstationary dynamics in near real-time. Using a modal state-space formulation leads to intuitive, physically significant models which are used for analysis and diagnosis.A Modal Approach to the Space-Time Dynamics of Cognitive Biomarkers provides a much-needed reference for practicing researchers in biomarker modeling leveraging the lens of engineering dynamics.

This book reviews the potential effect of diet modification, lipids, and carbohydrate consumptions, vitamin supplementation, antioxidants, and nutraceuticals in the prevention and management of Alzheimer's disease. The initial chapter of the book presents the pathophysiological mechanisms, risk factors, genetic predisposition, disease diagnosis, pathology, and current treatment strategies against Alzheimer's disease. It also highlights recent developments in exploring novel compounds for the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Subsequently, it highlights the therapeutic effect and regulation of molecular targets by natural compounds. The book discusses the potential of natural compounds in inhibiting the formation and deposition of A¿ peptides. It examines the natural compounds in modulating intracellular signaling molecules and enzymes involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. In summary, this book helps understand the role of natural compounds as a therapeutic approach in amelioration and preventing detrimental effects of Alzheimer's disease.

This book examines the best available empirical evidence regarding one of the most challenging and pervasive questions throughout ages, cultures, and religions: the survival of human consciousness after death. It begins with a contextual overview of belief in personal survival and refutes misguided historical and epistemological arguments against the notion of survival after death (e.g., irrational, purely religious, impossible to be addressed by science, that has been proved false by neuroscience). The book provides an overview of the scientific evidence regarding the survival of human consciousness after death, focusing on studies on mediumship, near-death and out-of-body experiences, and reincarnation.Featured topics of coverage include:The belief in life after death in the contemporary world as well as in the history of religions and philosophy.The key misguided arguments and prejudices against the academic study of afterlife survival.What constitutes empirical evidence for survival after death?The main explanatory hypotheses alternative to survival after death.The chief cultural barriers to a fair examination of the available evidence for survival of consciousness after death.Science of Life After Death is an essential resource for researchers, professors, and graduate students as well as clinicians, therapists, and other professionals in developmental and clinical psychology; spirituality, religious. and consciousness studies; psychiatry; neuroscience / neurology; phenomenology / philosophy; complementary and alternative medicine; and all interrelated disciplines.

This introductory textbook provides a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of the main issues in contemporary philosophy of social cognition. It explains and critically discusses each of the key philosophical answers to the captivating question of how we understand the mental life of other sentient creatures.  Key Features:*       Clearly and fully describes the major theoretical approaches to the understanding of other people's minds.*       Suggests the major advantages and limitations of each approach, indicating how they differ as well as the ideas they have in common. *       Tests each philosophical theory against the best available empirical data from psychology, neuroscience and psychopathology.*       Includes suggestions for additional reading and practice study questions at the end of each chapter. Philosophy of Social Cognition is essential reading for all undergraduate and graduate students taking introductory courses on social cognition. It is also ideal for courses on cognitive neuroscience, social psychology and sociological theory.

An exhilarating, genre-bending exploration of curiosity's powerful capacity to connect ideas and people.Curious about something? Google it. Look at it. Ask a question. But is curiosity simply information seeking? According to this exhilarating, genre-bending book, what's left out of the conventional understanding of curiosity are the wandering tracks, the weaving concepts, the knitting of ideas, and the thatching of knowledge systems-the networks, the relations between ideas and between people. Curiosity, say Perry Zurn and Dani Bassett, is a practice of connection: it connects ideas into networks of knowledge, and it connects knowers themselves, both to the knowledge they seek and to each other. Zurn and Bassett-identical twins who write that their book "e;represents the thought of one mind and two bodies"e;-harness their respective expertise in the humanities and the sciences to get irrepressibly curious about curiosity. Traipsing across literatures of antiquity and medieval science, Victorian poetry and nature essays, as well as work by writers from a variety of marginalized communities, they trace a multitudinous curiosity. They identify three styles of curiosity-the busybody, who collects stories, creating loose knowledge networks; the hunter, who hunts down secrets or discoveries, creating tight networks; and the dancer, who takes leaps of creative imagination, creating loopy ones. Investigating what happens in a curious brain, they offer an accessible account of the network neuroscience of curiosity. And they sketch out a new kind of curiosity-centric and inclusive education that embraces everyone's curiosity. The book performs the very curiosity that it describes, inviting readers to participate-to be curious with the book and not simply about it.