Electroencephalography—Basic principles, clinical applications and related fields

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reference to their special interests. This applies to those primarily concerned with the autonomic nervous system.

Electroencephalography--Basic Principles, Clinical Applications and Related Fields, by E. Niedermeyer and F. Lopes da Silva (Eds,), 752 pp., Urban and SCnwarzenberg, Baltimore, MD, 1982. The 44 chapters of this consideration of modern electroencephatography and its applications were contributed by 25 authors coming from 6 countries (U.S.A., 12: Austria, 4; The Netherlands, 3; F.R.G., 3; Canada, 2; and Japan, 1). It, therefore, should give a good picture of electroencephalogrephy today and the uses of new ideas and methodologies, such as computer-assisted EEG diagnosis, the new methods of EEG analysis, theory and practice. No electroencephalographer is likely to look in this journal for reviews of new EEG texts. However, should they do so, it is here reported that chapters 1 to 10 describe methods, theory and a spectrum of normal situations: sleep and EEG. maturation of the EEG, EEG patterns and genetics, etc. Chapter 13 is also a discussion of method--methods such as hyperventilation to reveal abnormalities. Commonly used activation methods are described. Chapters 11-26 treat a variety of clinical entities and the use of the EEG in studies of nonspecific abnormalities. abnormal patterns of cerebral activity, various epilepsies, tumors and lesions. cerebral infections, cerebral state in old age, cerebral anoxia, coma, psychiatric disorders, migraine, etc. There are 2 chapters, 27 and 28, describing the use of EEG in psychology, in aviation, in diving, in travel in space. Chapters 29 through 32 deal with the EEG in neuropharmacology, drug effects and toxic encephalopa~fies. The remaining 12 chapters again take up the matter of methodologies and discuss leads. electrocorticography, contingent negative variation, polygraphic recording, quantification, methods of analysis. This seems to the reviewer to provide good coverage. The usefulness of a book such as 'this to those primarily concerned with the autonomic nervous system and organ system control is questionable. A great deal is said about arousal and little about autonomic system involvement. There is a page devoted to autonomic symptomatology in psychomotor seizures, and there are a few paragraphs relating EEG patterns to stress. The EEG in emotional activity and expression that involve autonomic system action is not mentioned in the index, and if mentioned in the book is not easily found. The EEG evidently is a rather imperceptive instrument with respect to detection of autonomic nervous system participation in behavior. The reviewer thinks, however, that this is a good book for those practicing electroencephalography. The Editor