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Functional states of the brain: Their determinants
Biological
Psychology
79
16 (1983) 79-80
North-Holland
BOOK REVIEW
M. KOUKKOU, D. LEHMANN and J. ANGST (Eds), Functional Stutes of the Brain: Their Determinants (Elsevier/North-Holland Biomedical Press, Amsterdam, 1980, pp. xii + 329). The editors explain that the purpose of this volume is to bring together experts from different fields and by generating inter-disciplinary cross-fertilization, create new insights into functional brain states. The book is a part Proceedings of two international conferences held in Greece. Unfortunately, there are no Discussion sections nor any firm attempt at an overview or synthesis; nor, as the editors confess, is there a wholly representative sampling of the various strengths within brain research. No doubt the participants at the conferences did engage in vigorous exchanges and creative synthesis, and perhaps some new thoughts or experiments arose as a result, but such an inter-disciplinary flavour does not appear in the book. It could all have been done through the mail. To caricature the product, while not exactly a Tower of Babel, it does resemble an attempt to create a lingua fruncu by throwing together a pleasant group of different nationalities into aninternational Hilton for the weekend, Thus there are no integrative themes, no genuinely common problems, no debates about concepts, no conflicts over methodology; each man stands up and says his piece. While all published conference proceedings tend to be hard to review, this volume is, as a result, particularly difficult. For it would be harsh to challenge its failure to achieve the impossible, and foolish to attempt any evaluative generalization about such a heterogeneous group of papers. The difficulty is that the topic itself is really much too broad. Greater success could have been achieved had the editors limited themselves to single topics which in the book appear under single or combined section headings (i.e., genetics, development, motivation and learning, vigilance, mental illness, and a puzzling rag-bag called ‘functional states’). As it stands, there are only two papers in the shorter sections and five in the longest. The contents page therefore reads like a list of papers presented by individuals almost independently, at an annual meeting of a biologically oriented psychological society. A further difficulty is that many of the contributors are international figures (although some names will be new to readers of this journal) and reviews of their work have already appeared elsewhere, in volumes which would be a more sensible buy for the individual specialist reader. Thus, while an undergraduate would certainly be better off with a decent textbook, an expert can 0301-05
1l/83/$3.00
0 1983, Elsevier Science Publishers
B.V. (North-Holland)
obtain that
for
the same
appraisal who
information
from
other
xources.
Nor
is there
anv
guarantee
will find a comprehensive review of the current state of the art. While example. Peter Venables provide:, a typicallv lucid and authoritative one
of cortical
merely
wish
with
very
even
in their own
limited
the reader. make your
lateralization
to present
in schizophrenia. from
hypotheses
and
field. Since
a book
I shall now own
data
decision
their
offering review
there
arc
other
own laboratories.
based
little
with
connection
is designed
in part
list the remaining topics presented. whether to purchase the book
authors
on studies
other
work
at least to guide 50 that for your
~OLI can
library:
genetics and behavioural plasticity/rigidity (Oliverio): cerebral dominance (H&en); developmental aspects of monoamines (Schlumpf/Lichtellsteigor). and neuronal receptors (Kouvetas); the hippocampus (Wallace et at.): fear and aggression (Ursin); failure of extinction in classical conditioning (Martin/Levey); (Buser); EEG genetics
and
and
sleep (Borbkly): perception/cognitinn
psychopathology (Angst): in schizophrenia
reactivity reduced (RabavilasjStefanis). space which type, ness
sleep
Note
that
with
and aerotonin (Lehmann): ERP
(Ursin); positivity
attention (Riisler):
EEG in schizophrenia (Koukkou): (Straube); and acute anxiet?
a11 these
contributions
and
the double-
format. none of the authors has that much space to say a great deal. leads to a final comment on presentation. The typeface is camera-read\, non right-justified, contrast.
In these
with different days
typefaces
of the microprocessor,
quite inexcusable? Many‘ of us resented typescript: its demise is long overdue.
the
and different such
levels
of bright-
coat-saving
appearance
University
of
camera
is aurelb read!
Anthony GALE of South;impton
Psychology
79
16 (1983) 79-80
North-Holland
BOOK REVIEW
M. KOUKKOU, D. LEHMANN and J. ANGST (Eds), Functional Stutes of the Brain: Their Determinants (Elsevier/North-Holland Biomedical Press, Amsterdam, 1980, pp. xii + 329). The editors explain that the purpose of this volume is to bring together experts from different fields and by generating inter-disciplinary cross-fertilization, create new insights into functional brain states. The book is a part Proceedings of two international conferences held in Greece. Unfortunately, there are no Discussion sections nor any firm attempt at an overview or synthesis; nor, as the editors confess, is there a wholly representative sampling of the various strengths within brain research. No doubt the participants at the conferences did engage in vigorous exchanges and creative synthesis, and perhaps some new thoughts or experiments arose as a result, but such an inter-disciplinary flavour does not appear in the book. It could all have been done through the mail. To caricature the product, while not exactly a Tower of Babel, it does resemble an attempt to create a lingua fruncu by throwing together a pleasant group of different nationalities into aninternational Hilton for the weekend, Thus there are no integrative themes, no genuinely common problems, no debates about concepts, no conflicts over methodology; each man stands up and says his piece. While all published conference proceedings tend to be hard to review, this volume is, as a result, particularly difficult. For it would be harsh to challenge its failure to achieve the impossible, and foolish to attempt any evaluative generalization about such a heterogeneous group of papers. The difficulty is that the topic itself is really much too broad. Greater success could have been achieved had the editors limited themselves to single topics which in the book appear under single or combined section headings (i.e., genetics, development, motivation and learning, vigilance, mental illness, and a puzzling rag-bag called ‘functional states’). As it stands, there are only two papers in the shorter sections and five in the longest. The contents page therefore reads like a list of papers presented by individuals almost independently, at an annual meeting of a biologically oriented psychological society. A further difficulty is that many of the contributors are international figures (although some names will be new to readers of this journal) and reviews of their work have already appeared elsewhere, in volumes which would be a more sensible buy for the individual specialist reader. Thus, while an undergraduate would certainly be better off with a decent textbook, an expert can 0301-05
1l/83/$3.00
0 1983, Elsevier Science Publishers
B.V. (North-Holland)
obtain that
for
the same
appraisal who
information
from
other
xources.
Nor
is there
anv
guarantee
will find a comprehensive review of the current state of the art. While example. Peter Venables provide:, a typicallv lucid and authoritative one
of cortical
merely
wish
with
very
even
in their own
limited
the reader. make your
lateralization
to present
in schizophrenia. from
hypotheses
and
field. Since
a book
I shall now own
data
decision
their
offering review
there
arc
other
own laboratories.
based
little
with
connection
is designed
in part
list the remaining topics presented. whether to purchase the book
authors
on studies
other
work
at least to guide 50 that for your
~OLI can
library:
genetics and behavioural plasticity/rigidity (Oliverio): cerebral dominance (H&en); developmental aspects of monoamines (Schlumpf/Lichtellsteigor). and neuronal receptors (Kouvetas); the hippocampus (Wallace et at.): fear and aggression (Ursin); failure of extinction in classical conditioning (Martin/Levey); (Buser); EEG genetics
and
and
sleep (Borbkly): perception/cognitinn
psychopathology (Angst): in schizophrenia
reactivity reduced (RabavilasjStefanis). space which type, ness
sleep
Note
that
with
and aerotonin (Lehmann): ERP
(Ursin); positivity
attention (Riisler):
EEG in schizophrenia (Koukkou): (Straube); and acute anxiet?
a11 these
contributions
and
the double-
format. none of the authors has that much space to say a great deal. leads to a final comment on presentation. The typeface is camera-read\, non right-justified, contrast.
In these
with different days
typefaces
of the microprocessor,
quite inexcusable? Many‘ of us resented typescript: its demise is long overdue.
the
and different such
levels
of bright-
coat-saving
appearance
University
of
camera
is aurelb read!
Anthony GALE of South;impton