- Email: [email protected]
Cognitive processes and the brain
BOOKREVIEWS
10s
This monograph of an on-going researchwill surely turn out to be a classic in its particul;l,~ &ipline. me purpo~y ofthe monograph is to present systematically a description of the quantitive manner in which electrophystological responses in the peripheral auditory nervol:‘: system takes place. It is a succlnctlY written report, the experiments are elegant and provide a tremendous amount ofvaluabledata. It is probably the first experiment of its kind in which modern computer techniques have been used for recording data, analyzing data, and displaying these in the form of histograms. The aim of the researchers was to ascertain the ,method by which mammalian auditory nerves describe sounds bY investigating ihe patterns of discharge in single fibers of the auditory nerve responding to controlled acoustical stimuli. Earlier experiments on moth tympanicmembrane fibers, using 5 to 10 fibers, were performed by Roeder and colleagues at Tufts University. Although the research was conducted on healthy cats not previously exposed to high noise levels, it has an important bearing on the investigation of human hearing. More than half the report consists of the graphic representations of the experimental data. The experiment and the development of the apparatus is an excellent example of interdisciplinary research cooperation. This monograph, a primary source of scientific results, should be of interest to biophysicists, communication engineers, physiologists, medical physicists, psychologists, otologists, neurologists and audiologists. It should provide inspiration and guidance for other experimental investigations in mammalitin or human communications. ALEXANDER
JOSEPH
John Jay CoiIegtJ New York
PETERMILNERand STEPHEN GLICKMAN, eds. : Cognitive processes and the brain. Princeton, N.J., ID. Van Nostrand Company, Inc., 1965, 215 pages, $1.95. Cognitive processes and the brain represents an edited collection of thirteen readings on aspects of the physiological and anatomical bases of cognitive function. The papers, with one or two exceptions, are well selected and are prefaced by relevant but brief introductions bYthe editors. The collection as a whole gives a reasonable cross section of animal research approaches utilizing classical ablation techniques as well as concurrent physiological and behavioral monitoring. There is also a representation, limited to contributions from investigators originating from McGill University, of studies using human clinical material (brain-damaged patients). These investigations deal with the processing of auditory inf’ormation, memory and intelligence. Of the latter selections, the one by Hebb first appeared in 1942. It is primarily of historical interest as a document representing both Hebb’s remarkable insight into the nature of human cognitive functions and the relatively primitive state of measurement of abilities in human neuropsychology at that time. Cognitive processesand the brain might very well serve to familiarize undergraduate PhysiologicaI psychologystudents wSth many of the most important techniques employed by investigators to assess the relations between central nervous system activity and cognitive functions. It will also provide a sample of the insights gained thus far. Because of its deliberate limitation to studies dealing with cognitive processes however, it should be SUpplement,ed with other readings concerned with motivational and emotional states and with sens3ry processes if 8. complete coverage in the area of physiological psychology is desired. LOUIS D. COSTA Queens College New York
10s
This monograph of an on-going researchwill surely turn out to be a classic in its particul;l,~ &ipline. me purpo~y ofthe monograph is to present systematically a description of the quantitive manner in which electrophystological responses in the peripheral auditory nervol:‘: system takes place. It is a succlnctlY written report, the experiments are elegant and provide a tremendous amount ofvaluabledata. It is probably the first experiment of its kind in which modern computer techniques have been used for recording data, analyzing data, and displaying these in the form of histograms. The aim of the researchers was to ascertain the ,method by which mammalian auditory nerves describe sounds bY investigating ihe patterns of discharge in single fibers of the auditory nerve responding to controlled acoustical stimuli. Earlier experiments on moth tympanicmembrane fibers, using 5 to 10 fibers, were performed by Roeder and colleagues at Tufts University. Although the research was conducted on healthy cats not previously exposed to high noise levels, it has an important bearing on the investigation of human hearing. More than half the report consists of the graphic representations of the experimental data. The experiment and the development of the apparatus is an excellent example of interdisciplinary research cooperation. This monograph, a primary source of scientific results, should be of interest to biophysicists, communication engineers, physiologists, medical physicists, psychologists, otologists, neurologists and audiologists. It should provide inspiration and guidance for other experimental investigations in mammalitin or human communications. ALEXANDER
JOSEPH
John Jay CoiIegtJ New York
PETERMILNERand STEPHEN GLICKMAN, eds. : Cognitive processes and the brain. Princeton, N.J., ID. Van Nostrand Company, Inc., 1965, 215 pages, $1.95. Cognitive processes and the brain represents an edited collection of thirteen readings on aspects of the physiological and anatomical bases of cognitive function. The papers, with one or two exceptions, are well selected and are prefaced by relevant but brief introductions bYthe editors. The collection as a whole gives a reasonable cross section of animal research approaches utilizing classical ablation techniques as well as concurrent physiological and behavioral monitoring. There is also a representation, limited to contributions from investigators originating from McGill University, of studies using human clinical material (brain-damaged patients). These investigations deal with the processing of auditory inf’ormation, memory and intelligence. Of the latter selections, the one by Hebb first appeared in 1942. It is primarily of historical interest as a document representing both Hebb’s remarkable insight into the nature of human cognitive functions and the relatively primitive state of measurement of abilities in human neuropsychology at that time. Cognitive processesand the brain might very well serve to familiarize undergraduate PhysiologicaI psychologystudents wSth many of the most important techniques employed by investigators to assess the relations between central nervous system activity and cognitive functions. It will also provide a sample of the insights gained thus far. Because of its deliberate limitation to studies dealing with cognitive processes however, it should be SUpplement,ed with other readings concerned with motivational and emotional states and with sens3ry processes if 8. complete coverage in the area of physiological psychology is desired. LOUIS D. COSTA Queens College New York