Books about Neuroplasticity from Amazon.com

An astonishing new science called neuroplasticity is overthrowing the centuries-old notion that the human brain is immutable In this revolutionary look at the brain, psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Norman Doidge, M.D., provides an introduction to both the brilliant scientists championing neuroplasticity and the people whose lives theyÂ’ve transformed. From stroke patients learning to speak again to the remarkable case of a woman born with half a brain that rewired itself to work as a whole, The Brain That Changes Itself will permanently alter the way we look at our brains, human nature, and human potential..
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A groundbreaking and fascinating investigation into the transformative effects of exercise on the brain, from the bestselling author and renowned psychiatrist John J. Ratey, MD.



Did you know you can beat stress, lift your mood, fight memory loss, sharpen your intellect, and function better than ever simply by elevating your heart rate and breaking a sweat? The evidence is incontrovertible: Aerobic exercise physically remodels our brains for peak performance.


In SPARK, John J. Ratey, M.D., embarks upon a fascinating and entertaining journey through the mind-body connection, presenting startling research to prove that exercise is truly our best defense against everything from depression to ADD to addiction to aggression to menopause to Alzheimer's. Filled with amazing case studies (such as the revolutionary fitness program in Naperville, Illinois, which has put this school district of 19,000 kids first in the world of science test scores), SPARK is the first book to explore comprehensively the connection between exercise and the brain. It will change forever the way you think about your morning run---or, for that matter, simply the way you think.
Price: $13.85 [Notify me when price goes down.]

In this fascinating and far-reaching book, Newsweek science writer Sharon Begley reports on how cutting-edge science and the ancient wisdom of Buddhism have come together to reveal that, contrary to popular belief, we have the power to literally change our brains by changing our minds. Recent pioneering experiments in neuroplasticity–the ability of the brain to change in response to experience–reveal that the brain is capable of altering its structure and function, and even of generating new neurons, a power we retain well into old age. The brain can adapt, heal, renew itself after trauma, compensate for disabilities, rewire itself to overcome dyslexia, and break cycles of depression and OCD. And as scientists are learning from studies performed on Buddhist monks, it is not only the outside world that can change the brain, so can the mind and, in particular, focused attention through the classic Buddhist practice of mindfulness.

With her gift for making science accessible, meaningful, and compelling, Sharon Begley illuminates a profound shift in our understanding of how the brain and the mind interact and takes us to the leading edge of a revolution in what it means to be human.

“There are two great things about this book. One is that it shows us how nothing about our brains is set in stone. The other is that it is written by Sharon Begley, one of the best science writers around. Begley is superb at framing the latest facts within the larger context of the field. . . . This is a terrific book.”
–Robert M. Sapolsky, author of Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers

“Excellent . . . elegant and lucid prose . . . an open mind here will be rewarded.”
–Discover magazine

“A strong dose of hope along with a strong does of science and Buddhist thought.”
–The San Diego Union-Tribune.
Price: $8.15 [Notify me when price goes down.]

A groundbreaking work of science that confirms, for the first time, the independent existence of the mind–and demonstrates the possibilities for human control over the workings of the brain.

Conventional science has long held the position that 'the mind' is merely an illusion, a side effect of electrochemical activity in the physical brain. Now in paperback, Dr Jeffrey Schwartz and Sharon Begley's groundbreaking work, The Mind and the Brain, argues exactly the opposite: that the mind has a life of its own.Dr Schwartz, a leading researcher in brain dysfunctions, and Wall Street Journal science columnist Sharon Begley demonstrate that the human mind is an independent entity that can shape and control the functioning of the physical brain. Their work has its basis in our emerging understanding of adult neuroplasticity–the brain's ability to be rewired not just in childhood, but throughout life, a trait only recently established by neuroscientists.

Through decades of work treating patients with obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD), Schwartz made an extraordinary finding: while following the therapy he developed, his patients were effecting significant and lasting changes in their own neural pathways. It was a scientific first: by actively focusing their attention away from negative behaviors and toward more positive ones, Schwartz's patients were using their minds to reshape their brains–and discovering a thrilling new dimension to the concept of neuroplasticity.

The Mind and the Brain follows Schwartz as he investigates this newly discovered power, which he calls self–directed neuroplasticity or, more simply, mental force. It describes his work with noted physicist Henry Stapp and connects the concept of 'mental force' with the ancient practice of mindfulness in Buddhist tradition. And it points to potential new applications that could transform the treatment of almost every variety of neurological dysfunction, from dyslexia to stroke–and could lead to new strategies to help us harness our mental powers. Yet as wondrous as these implications are, perhaps even more important is the philosophical dimension of Schwartz's work. For the existence of mental force offers convincing scientific evidence of human free will, and thus of man's inherent capacity for moral choice.

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At the crossroads of applied neuroscience, positive psychology and quantum physics. You don t even have to know what these words mean to read this book, understand it, and make it work in your life. No matter who you are or where you are, 18 to 80, a kid, a searching student, a worker bee, a mom, a dad, a professor, a social worker, a psychologist, a teacher, a worn-out therapist, or a pauper, you can read this book and apply The Emotional Gym to your life. There are 7 promises in this book. Do the simple work the book suggests and all of the promises will be yours, I promise. Start by taking The PM Factor Test The Positive Mind Test. Take the test first, then put it away and read the book and do the work that is outlined here. Why grow a positive mind? You can grow a positive mind. But why want one, you may ask. First of all, if you stay in a positive mind rather than a negative one, you will live longer. People who spend more time in a negative downward spiral than in an upward spiral, are twice as likely to have a stroke or heart attack. Reason enough? If that is not reason enough, the more significant ones are that when you have a positive mind and when you are growing a positive mind, you get more of what you want. It comes to you more easily and it comes to you more quickly. You are healthier, you solve problems more quickly, you are more creative, you score higher on every test of well-being and life-satisfaction, and you thrive at a cellular level. Reason enough yet? How about seven more promises about the significance of growing a positive mind? These promises are the 7 chapters of Growing a Positive Mind. They are promises to a brighter, happier, more fulfilling, and authentic life. The First Promise (The Emotional Gym) is that you can learn to feel positive emotions, that you can grow positive emotional muscle and that it becomes stronger and stronger. This is the first work-out in the Emotional Gym. As you practice exercising positive emotional muscle and doing the exercises over time your UpSpiral Score, which you keep daily for 90 days will increase and your Emotional Scale Score will also increase. The Second Promise (The UpSpiral) is that you can stay in the UpSpiral of a positive mind 100% of the time and by learning to be there over time, that you can raise your emotional set-point and your happiness set-point. Quite a promise, don t you think? The Third Promise (StrengthSmart) is that you can actually find out what your own personal strengths are and that those strengths are at the core of becoming happier and more content in your life. The Fourth Promise (The VibeCore) is that your VibeCore, which is at the very heart of you, can grow and increase and as it does, you will create and find more of what you want in life. The Fifth Promise (The FuturePac) is that if you follow these directions that you will emerge with a sense of direction and vision for you life. The Sixth Promise (VisioNavigator) is that your vision in life will lead you to a sense of your passion. The Seventh Promise (MasteRevelation) is that your vision will lead you to vital friends and connections that from this synchronicity there emerges revelation When you have finished the book and after you have done some of the work, take The PM Factor Test again. You may send your results into us and we will tell you what they mean from our research and work..
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For millennia, Buddhists have enjoyed the limitless benefits of meditation But how does it work? And why? The principles behind this ancient practice have long eluded some of the best minds in modern science. Until now.

In this groundbreaking work, world-renowned Buddhist teacher Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche invites us to join him in unlocking the secrets behind the practice of meditation. Working with neuroscientists at the Waisman Laboratory for Brain Imaging and Behavior, Yongey Mingyur provides clear insights into modern research indicating that systematic training in meditation can enhance activity in areas of the brain associated with happiness and compassion. He has also worked with physicists across the country to develop a fresh, scientifically based interpretation of the Buddhist understanding of the nature of reality.

With an infectious joy and insatiable curiosity, Yongey Mingyur weaves together the principles of Tibetan Buddhism, neuroscience, and quantum physics in a way that will forever change the way we understand the human experience. Using the basic meditation practices he provides, we can discover paths through everyday problems, transforming obstacles into opportunities to recognize the unlimited potential of our
own minds.

With a foreword by bestselling author Daniel Goleman, The Joy of Living is a stunning breakthrough, an illuminating vision of the science of Buddhism and a handbook for transforming our minds, bodies, and lives..
Price: $9.00 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Neural plasticity--the brain's ability to change in response to normal developmental processes, experience, and injury--is a critically important phenomenon for both neuroscience and psychology. Increasing evidence about the extent of plasticity--long past the supposedly critical first three years--has recently emerged. Neural Plasticity offers the first succinct and lucid integration of this research and its implications.

Pointing out the negative and the positive consequences of plasticity, Peter Huttenlocher describes plasticity in children and adults (in normal aging and in response to trauma), in sensory systems, the motor cortex, higher cortical functions, and language development, proceeding system by system, and paying particular attention to the cerebral cortex. One of the book's strengths is its range of references, not only to studies on human subjects but to the experimental study of animal models as well. This book will be a unique contribution to research and to the literature on clinical neuroscience..
Price: $52.00 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Their insights are extraordinary, their behaviors unusual. Their brains—shaped by the era of microprocessors, access to limitless information, and 24-hour news and communication—are remapping, retooling, and evolving. They're not superhuman. They're your twenty-something coworkers, your children, and your competition. Are you keeping up?

In iBrain, Dr. Gary Small, one of America's leading neuroscientists and experts on brain function and behavior, explores how technology's unstoppable march forward has altered the way young minds develop, function, and interpret information. iBrain reveals a new evolution catalyzed by technological advancement and its future implications: Where do you fit in on the evolutionary chain? What are the professional, social, and political impacts of this new brain evolution? How must you adapt and at what price?

While high-tech immersion can accelerate learning and boost creativity, it also has its glitches, among them the meteoric rise in ADD diagnoses, increased social isolation, and Internet addiction. To compete and thrive in the age of brain evolution, and to avoid these potential drawbacks, we must adapt, and iBrain—with its Technology Toolkit—equips all of us with the tools and strategies needed to close the brain gap.

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Price: $16.47 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Clear, Engaging Introduction to current biopsychological theory. It interweaves the fundamentals of the field with clinical case studies, social issues, personal implications, and humorous anecdotes..
Price: $79.00 [Notify me when price goes down.]

This introduction to spiking neurons can be used in advanced-level courses in computational neuroscience, theoretical biology, neural modeling, biophysics, or neural networks. It focuses on phenomenological approaches rather than detailed models in order to provide the reader with a conceptual framework. The authors formulate the theoretical concepts clearly without many mathematical details. While the book contains standard material for courses in computational neuroscience, neural modeling, or neural networks, it also provides an entry to current research. No prior knowledge beyond undergraduate mathematics is required..
Price: $55.60 [Notify me when price goes down.]