Event-related brain potentials in man

636 Event-related b r a i n p o t e n t i a l s in m a n . - E. Callaway, P. T u e t i n g a n d S.H. Koslow (Eds.) ( A c a d e m i c Press, New York, 1 9 7 8 , 631 p., U.S. $ 2 2 . 0 0 ) The m a t e r i a l p r e s e n t e d in this p u b l i c a t i o n evolved from a perceived n e e d by t h e N a t i o n a l I n s t i t u t e of Mental Health for a c o n f e r e n c e to assess the 'state of t h e a r t ' of h u m a n event-related p o t e n t i a l research. The scope a n d t h o r o u g h n e s s o f the individual reviews a t t e s t to the scientific a c u m e n a n d e n t h u s i a s m of the authors. T h e initial section on the f u n c t i o n a l a n a t o m y of ERPs covers their electrogenesis, basic t e m p o r o s p a t i a l characteristics, and localization of voltage sources. A u d i t o r y , s o m a t o s e n s o r y a n d visual e v o k e d p o t e n tials, vertex a n d c o i n c i d e n t p o t e n t i a l s , m o t o r p o t e n tials, a n t e c e d e n t e y e - m o v e m e n t potentials, speechrelated p o t e n t i a l s , slow p o t e n t i a l s , long-latency taskrelated p o t e n t i a l s , a n d m y o g e n i c p o t e n t i a l s are described in detail a n d t h e relevant literature is painstakingly reviewed for c o m m o n a l i t y o f investigative results. This is followed b y a valuable essay o n the m e a s u r e m e n t of ERPs in w h i c h five m a j o r types of m e a s u r e m e n t p r o b l e m s are identified and discussed: e x t r a c t i o n o f 'signals' from ' n o i s e ' , feature e x t r a c t i o n from signals, analysis of changes b e t w e e n signals u n d e r d i f f e r e n t e x p e r i m e n t a l c o n d i t i o n s , analysis of r e l a t i o n s h i p s b e t w e e n signals in d i f f e r e n t regions or successive signals in the same region, a n d analysis of relationships b e t w e e n signals in d i f f e r e n t individuals resulting from the same stimuli. A s u b s e q u e n t seetion, especially useful to t h e clinician, is d e v o t e d to a review of various a p p l i c a t i o n s o f EPs w i t h emphasis u p o n a u d i t o r y and visual modalities. Studies of relat i o n s h i p s b e t w e e n s e n s a t i o n , p e r c e p t i o n and a t t e n t i o n and features of ERPs are well covered in t h e f o u r t h part while factors i n f l u e n c i n g t h e late e n d o g e n o u s c o m p o n e n t s are equally well h a n d l e d in t h e fifth part. The t w o final m a j o r s u b s t a n t i v e c o n t r i b u t i o n s are d e v o t e d to ERPs and p s y c h o p a t h o l o g y a n d ERPs across t h e life span. T h e v o l u m e is r o u n d e d off by a n u m b e r of s h o r t e r c o m m e n t a r i e s of historical, ethical and m e t h o d o l o g i c a l i n t e r e s t a l o n g w i t h p o s t e r session a b s t r a c t s of s o m e c u r r e n t studies. Each section is f o l l o w e d w i t h discussion by a designated discussant a n d b y c o n t r i b u t e r s to the conference w h i c h helps to focus a t t e n t i o n u p o n key issues and fruitful avenues of research. T h e r e is a r e c u r r i n g c o n c e r n w i t h b o t h the importance and value of E R P research, clearly the result of the n a t u r e of t h e task p r e s e n t e d to t h e c o n t r i b u t o r s . Certainly, the scientific i m p o r t a n c e of, and administrative priorities for, investigations of t h e f u n c t i o n a l o r g a n i z a t i o n of t h e brain in m a n m u s t r e m a i n of the highest order. Whereas its value m a y be less immediately a p p a r e n t , because o f t h e relatively slow accret i o n of k n o w l e d g e , t h e n a t u r a l i m p a t i e n c e of sponsoring agencies to see m a j o r b r e a k t h r o u g h s m u s t be

BOOK R E V I E W S t e m p e r e d by a p p r e c i a t i o n of the technical and m e t h odological c o m p l e x i t i e s of work o n the h u m a n brain. This b o o k s h o u l d be in the libraries of all researcho r i e n t e d E R l a b o r a t o r i e s where it is d e s t i n e d to b e c o m e t h o r o u g h l y t h u m b m a r k e d over the years. It will be used less in clinical settings, a l t h o u g h t h e p a t i e n t - o r i e n t e d s e c t i o n s are well w o r t h reading for their overview value. In e i t h e r ease, it provides excellent d i r e c t i o n for access to the p r i m a r y literature. K E N N E T H A. K O O I University o f Michigan, A n n A r b o r , Mich. 4 8 1 0 4 (U.S.A.)

Ciba F o u n d a t i o n s S y m p o s i u m No. 58 (New Series). F u n c t i o n s o f t h e s e p t o - h i p p o c a m p a l system. -- (Elsev i e r / N o r t h - H o l l a n d , A m s t e r d a m , 1 9 7 8 , 438 p., ill.,

U.S. $ 43.50, Dfl. 98.00) T h e very exciting topic o f this s y m p o s i u m , t h e f u n c t i o n s a n d m e c h a n i s m s o f o n e of the relatively best k n o w n s t r u c t u r e s o f the brain, is discussed by o u t s t a n d i n g research workers, a n a t o m i s t s , physiologists, n e u r o c h e m i s t s and psychologists. A l t h o u g h a lot of work has been d o n e in this field, these f u n c t i o n s still r e m a i n baffling. New e x p e r i m e n t a l data dealt w i t h i n 13 papers are discussed t o g e t h e r w i t h earlier ones in a truly interdisciplinary m a n n e r . A good n u m b e r of references are supplied for the papers and s o m e of t h e c o n t r i b u t i o n s to the discussions. T h e v o l u m e is c o m p l e t e d .by a s u b j e c t i n d e x (8 pages) and an i n d e x of c o n t r i b u t o r s . This a n d s h o r t a b s t r a c t s to each of the papers m a k e t h e v o l u m e easy to handle. Moreover, it c o n t a i n s three general discussions. A m o n g t h e 27 p a r t i c i p a n t s were P. A n d e r s e n , J.A. Gray, J . O . ' K e e f e , J.B. R a n c k , C.H. V a n d e r w o l f and O.S. Vinogradova. T h e studies include a n a t o m y and organization of septo-hippocampal projections, n e u r o t r a n s m i t t e r s a n d t h e i r role, long-lasting f a c i l i t a tion of h i p p o c a m p a l s y n a p t i c i r a n s m i s s i o n , hippoc a m p a l unit activity to s e n s o r y stimuli, h i p p o c a m p a l cognitive m a p , t h e c o n c e p t of the h i p p o c a m p u s as a spatial m a p , effects o f lesions a n d drugs o n b e h a v i o u r , the 'septal s y n d r o m e ' a n d t h e amnesic s y n d r o m e resulting from h i p p o c a m p a l damage in m a n a n d animals, h y p o t h e s e s a b o u t t h e role of t h e s e p t o - h i p p o c a m p a l s y s t e m in m e m o r y and the f u n c t i o n a l significance o f the t h e t a activity (RSA). T h e v o l u m e can be r e c o m m e n d e d to a n y o n e interested in the field of t h e s e p t o - h i p p o c a m p a l s y s t e m and t h e f u n c t i o n s c o n n e c t e d with it. W. t f A S C H K E I n s t i t u t e of Physiology, Friedrich Schiller University, J e n a (G.D.R.)