Thursday, 12 September 2013

Encyclopedia of Neuroscience

Neuroscience is a rapidly expanding endeavor devoted to unraveling the structure and function of the nervous system. It relies on, and keeps close relations to, a number of other disciplines, such as mathematics, physics, chemistry, engineering, computer science, genetics, molecular biology, biochemistry, medicine and philosophy. Indeed, many of its recent successes result from the application of ideas, concepts and methods borrowed from these fields. Thus, neuroscience has become the archetype for interdisciplinary undertakings. This convergence of influences accounts for part of its enormous attractiveness and fascination to students, researchers and lay persons from various walks of life or science. Many of neuroscience’s most creative and productive investigators have been lured into the field not only by the excitement inherent in the possibility of uncovering the secrets of the human mind, but by the appeal of venturing into a vast unknown land, requiring the development of new tools for its effective cultivation. Far from simply satisfying our intellectual curiosity, however, neuroscience has become ever more important as a theoretical ground for practical applications in medicine, in particular neurology, and other disciplines.

The explosion of neuroscience has made it virtually impossible for individuals to follow all the ramifications and fast developments in the many corners and branches of this science. This Encyclopedia has therefore been designed for a wide variety of readers, from members of the lay public to students, practitioners and researchers in biology, medicine, psychology, sociology, philosophy and their associated auxiliary fields. Moreover, it should also prove useful to advanced researchers of biology and neuroscience who wish to stay abreast of current developments outside their immediate areas of expertise.

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