8. The new neuropsychology of dreaming
J. Allan Hobson
in Dreaming: A Very Short Introduction
illustrates that the development of brain imaging techniques such as positron emission tomography (PET), computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has made it possible ...
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6. The future of superstition
Stuart Vyse
in Superstition: A Very Short Introduction
People have been fascinated with superstition for a very long time, and that fascination is unlikely to end soon. ‘The future of superstition’ looks at the various areas of superstition ...
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Introduction
Rob Boddice
in Pain: A Very Short Introduction
Pain is very difficult to define. The Introduction explains that a true understanding of physical and emotional pain must take into account biological, psychological, and social factors. ...
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5. The dyslexic brain
Margaret J. Snowling
in Dyslexia: A Very Short Introduction
All behaviour, including reading, is controlled by the brain. It is therefore natural to ask: are there differences in brain structure or function in dyslexia that cause difficulties in ...
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Conclusion
J. Allan Hobson
in Dreaming: A Very Short Introduction
The conclusion highlights three concepts that were not predicted by dream theorists. Firstly, dreaming and other states of consciousness are related to changes in the level of brain ...
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8. Applied nuclear physics
Frank Close
in Nuclear Physics: A Very Short Introduction
Nuclear physics is a rich and active field. The large amounts of latent energy within the nuclei of atoms can be liberated in nuclear reactors. Together with nuclear weapons, this is the ...
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1. What is superconductivity?
Stephen Blundell
in Superconductivity: A Very Short Introduction
When Kamerlingh Onnes, working in his Leiden laboratory in 1911, discovered a strange phenomenon affecting the properties of mercury at very low temperatures, he christened it ...
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3. Learning language
Usha Goswami
in Child Psychology: A Very Short Introduction
‘Learning language’ considers how babies and toddlers develop language skills by looking at the role of Parentese, otherwise known as infant-directed speech, the importance of sound cues, ...
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1. Suspended animation: concepts of anaesthesia
Aidan O’Donnell
in Anaesthesia: A Very Short Introduction
Studies estimate that 234 million surgical procedures requiring anaesthesia are performed worldwide every year. ‘Suspended animation: concepts of anaesthesia’ looks at the state of being ...
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9. Anaesthesia tomorrow
Aidan O’Donnell
in Anaesthesia: A Very Short Introduction
Anaesthesia is evolving, so predictions about the future are hard to make. Three trends seem highly likely to result in changes in practice: understanding brain function, more intensive ...
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9. Cultures of pain
Rob Boddice
in Pain: A Very Short Introduction
What happens to the body and mind in a pain state is always mediated through the broad social context of the sufferer. No amount of searching in the brain and central nervous system alone ...
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7. Into the 21st century
Tom Burns
in Psychiatry: A Very Short Introduction (2nd edn)
‘Into the 21st century’ explains how there is an increased focus on how our body, and not just the brain, influences our mental health. Rapidly advancing computer technology, including ...
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3. Making illnesses better
James Yeates
in Veterinary Science: A Very Short Introduction
An obvious part of veterinary science is about making animals better when they are ill, injured, or disabled. ‘Making illnesses better’ explains the processes involved in identifying what ...
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2. Synaesthesia in the brain
Julia Simner
in Synaesthesia: A Very Short Introduction
Advances in brain imaging have revolutionised the study of synaesthesia and have enormous potential in educating us about the aetiology of this unusual condition. Brain scans provide clear ...
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Schizophrenia: A Very Short Introduction
Chris Frith and Eve C. Johnstone
Schizophrenia: A Very Short Introduction considers a common mental disorder that has a devastating effect on sufferers and their families. While patients typically hear voices ...
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6. What do more intelligent brains look like?
Ian J. Deary
in Intelligence: A Very Short Introduction (2nd edn)
‘What do more intelligent brains look like?’ considers a study that used data from the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936 to test the strength of the correlation between the general intelligence ...
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Dreaming: A Very Short Introduction
J. Allan Hobson
Dreaming: A Very Short Introduction provides an increasingly complete picture of how dreaming is created by the brain. It explores how the new science of dreaming is affecting ...
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10. What have superconductors ever done for us?
Stephen Blundell
in Superconductivity: A Very Short Introduction
With the perspective of nearly a century of research into superconductivity, it is easy to recognize a recurring pattern: a cycle of breakthrough, followed by feverish excitement and media ...
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Anaesthesia: A Very Short Introduction
Aidan O'Donnell
Anaesthesia: A Very Short Introduction examines the modern anaesthetic practice. Anaesthesia is a mysterious and sometimes threatening process. What is anaesthesia? How is it ...
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9. The future
Brian Rogers
in Perception: A Very Short Introduction
Perception is one of the best understood topics in psychology and yet there is still no universal agreement as to how we should understand the purpose or objective of perceptual processes. ...
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