Development of the Nervous System presents a broad outline of neural development principles as exemplified by key experiments and observations from past and recent times. The text is organized along a development pathway from the induction of the neural primordium to the emergence of behavior. It covers all the major topics including the patterning and growth of the nervous system, neuronal determination, axonal navigation and targeting, synapse formation and plasticity, and neuronal survival and death. This new text reflects the complete modernization of the field achieved through the use of model organisms and the intensive application of molecular and genetic approaches. Original, artist-rendered drawings combined with clear, concise writing make Development of the Nervous System well suited to anyone approaching this complex field for the first time.
Key Features * Provides a synopsis of concepts and experimental strategies * Includes designs of critical experiments that are easy to understand * Outlines the molecular and genetic bases for many developmental events * Presents new information on the function of the developing central nervous system * Richly illustrated with original drawings * Treats the field as an experimental rather than a descriptive science * Written at a level that is appropriate for undergraduates and beyond
I hadn't touched a full semester's worth of material before I decided to maybe save the situtation by picking up this book. I challenged myself to read it over the course of a weekend (total of maybe three days) for an open-note exam the following Monday. I had another exam, choir rehearsals, a concert, and a bottle of wine in the interim.
Of course, I ended up only reading the pertinent half, and hoarding 50+ complementary articles. Al-nateeja: I aced the exam. I am definitely not giving this less than five stars over a few typos (which are hardly detectable in the third edition, by the way).
This book has been a reference for some of our lectures from a professor who is one of the pioneers the field, so i can confidently recommend it, particularly if you want to do research in neurogensis, neural patterning, action potential, neural circuits and axonal growth. The other references do not go into as much detail for these subjects, but this books covers it all from the basic level to the advanced level you'll need to start reading papers.
Really clear and well-written for the most part, but there are some heinous typos that did all kinds of weird things to my understanding of the material.