Books to Get You Thinking

The human brain is immensely fascinating in its complexity and intricate working. Traditionally the disciplines of psychology, philosophy and psychoanalysis had been used for studying the working of the human mind. With the discovery of DNA structure and advances in how genes are regulated the last few decades have witnessed a shift in research to several ground breaking studies that give us new insights into the working of the human brain that are based on the biological nature of the brain. This month’s picks are books from our collection that explore some of these fascinating breakthrough studies.

The Brain That Changes Itself by Norman Doidge
The author, a physician and a leading psychiatrist and researcher, explores the concept of neuroplasticity. The basic premise of this concept is that the brain is a malleable organ not just in childhood but in all stages of life - thoughts can change both the anatomy and the working of the brain through a process of switching genes successively on and off. The implications of this are truly phenomenal for those suffering from any kind of brain damage or mental limitations. The book includes interviews with scientists engaged in cutting edge work in this area as well as fascinating case studies of patients who have undergone neuro - rehabilitation to successfully “rewire” their brains. This includes stroke patients, people with learning disorders and patients suffering from depression all of whom displayed miraculous recovery. The experimental case studies in neurobiology and neuroplasticity demonstrating the endless adaptability of the brain to rearrange itself while bypassing the damaged areas, signals advances in an entirely new area of science that is waiting to be discovered, one that will bring us closer to understanding the complex workings of the human brain.

In Search of Memory: The Emergence of a New Science of Mind. The author, Eric Kandel a professor at Columbia and winner of the 2000 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has written an enthralling and detailed autobiography that elucidates the life of a brilliant neuroscientist. At the same time it also provides a window into the evolution of his research work on the biological nature of learning and memory storage in the brain. The focus of Kandel’s research lies in answering questions related to the cell biology of the mind: Which memory genes are essential to short and long term memory; what changes occur in the brain when we learn, and how is that information retained in the brain as memory ? Kandel's contribution lies in demonstrating that physical and chemical changes at the molecular level are key to determining memory and learning, as well every other mental process. The book is a unique offering in that it gives readers with no science background a fundamental understanding of the science of the mind.

Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain. The author, Oliver Sacks, a neurologist, a scientist and amateur musician, presents a compelling study into the human brain’s response to the mysterious powers of music. Sacks has interspersed the book with gripping stories of how music has enabled men and women to transcend their neurological disorders brought upon by Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s or other brain damage and have successfully recalled , responded to, and even performed entire musical pieces. In the past few decades new technology allows researchers to observe the profound way music affects and moves brain function and humans, transforming them into another world. This in turn has led to the widespread use of music therapy for the treatment of neurological disorders. Scanning the brain of professional musicians reveals differences in the way different areas of the brain have developed and in the distribution of grey matter. The author’s investigations into the mysteries of music and the brain raise many questions and it will be years before we can hope to fully understand the biological and emotional underpinnings of music in the human brain.

- Nita Mathur