Biology of the Brain: From Neurons to Networks

by Rodolfo R. Llinás (Editor)

How does the brain work? How do the cells of the brain—the neurons—communicate with each other? Are neuronal transplants possible? Examining these and other issues, The Biology of the Brain offers a series of engaging and readily comprehensible essays—written by scientists working in the discipline—which detail science’s understanding of the cellular nature of the brain.

The Biology of the Brain opens with a fascinating introduction by one of the world’s leading neurobiologists, Rodolfo Llinás, who summarizes the major developments and discoveries in brain research in the last 100 years. Following this is an extraordinarily lucid article which explains the form and function of the neuron—the brain’s cellular workhorse. This essay sets the stage for understanding the mechanics of the working, thinking brain.

Cell communication is examined next; this report outlines the recently discovered similarities between the messenger molecules in neurotransmitters and hormones and explores the implications of this discovery for future research. Groundwork is thus laid for the next article, which focuses on “second messengers” and their possible role in long term changes in the nervous system. Along with offering insight in the chemical composition of neuronal transmission, this article demonstrates the extraordinarily complex nature of nerve cells.

Rodolfo Llinás then probes the central issue of synaptic transmission. Subsequent essays describe how the study of simple nervous systems provides clues to understanding the workings of complex neural networks; the chemical differentiation of neurotransmitters; the function of neuropeptides in mediating behavior; what the retina tells us about nerve networks; and more. The Biology of the Brain concludes with a thought-provoking discussion of neuronal transplantation and its potential for modifying behavior.

Genres: Science

170 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1989

About the author

Rodolfo R. Llinás is the Thomas and Suzanne Murphy Professor of Neuroscience and Chairman of the department of Physiology & Neuroscience at the NYU School of Medicine. He went to the Gimnasio Moderno school and received his MD from the Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá in 1959 and his PhD in 1965 from the Australian National University working under Sir John Eccles. Llinás has published over 500 scientific articles.

He is especially known for his work on the physiology of the cerebellum, the thalamus, Thalamocortical dysrhythmia as well as for his pioneering work on the inferior olive, on the squid giant synapse and on human magnetoencephalography (MEG).

Llinás has written that the brain evolved because organisms needed to move around without running into other organisms or objects.

Further contributions include:

* Discovery of dendritic inhibition in central neurons (at the mammalian motoneuron).
* The functional organization of the cerebellar cortex neuronal circuits.
* Defining cerebellar function from an evolutionary perspective.
* First description of electrical coupling in the mammalian CNS ( mesencephalic trigeminal nucleus)
* First determination of presynaptic calcium current, under voltage clamp, at the squid giant synapse.
* Discovery that vertebrate neurons (cerebellar Purkinje cell) can generate calcium-dependent spikes .
* Discovery of the P-type calcium channel in the Purkinje cells.
* Discovery of low threshold spikes generated by low voltage activated calcium conductaces (presently known as due to T-type calcium channel) in inferior olive and thalamus neurons
* Direct demonstration of calcium concentration microdomains at the presynaptic active zone.
* Utilization of magnetoencephalography in clinical research.
* Discovery of subthreshold membrane potential oscillations in the inferior olive, thalamus and entorhinal cortex.
* The discovery of Thalamocortical dysrhythmia .
* Artificial olivo-cerebellar motor control system as part of the project BAUV (Undersea Vehicle) of the US Navy developed by P. Bandyopadhyay.
* Utilization of the whole brain in vitro preparation.

Llinás is a member of the United States National Academy of Sciences (1986), the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (1996), American Philosophical Society (1996), the Real Academia Nacional de Medicina (Spain) (1996) and the French Academy of Science (2002). Dr. Llinás has received Honorary Degrees from the following universities:

* Universidad de Salamanca (Spain) (1985)
* Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona (Spain) (1993)
* National University of Colombia (1994)
* Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain (1997)
* Universidad de los Andes, Colombia, (1998)
* Toyama University, Toyama, Japan (2005)
* University of Pavia, Italy (2006)

He was also the chairman of NASA/Neurolab Science Working Group.

Reviews

[Ian Pitchford · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well-illustrated and readable introduction although it is dated now.