Burns,THE UNCERTAIN NERVOUS SYSTEM,1968 Arnold[neurofisiologia

B. Delisle Burns,
THE UNCERTAIN NERVOUS SYSTEM.
Edward Arnold (publishers) LTD, Londra 1968,
prima edizione,
copertina rigida con sovraccoperta, cm 22x14, pp.194,
illustrazioni in bianco e nero,
testo in inglese,
peso: g.422
cod.4176
CONDIZIONI DEL LIBRO: ottime,
numero a penna alla III di copertina


CONTENTS
Preface
Chapter
1 Analogues for the nervous system
Early history of analogues for the nervous system. The central
nervous system as a telephone exchange. Self-controlling systems.
General purpose computers. Noisy communication lines.
2 Probability in peripheral systems
Miniature end-plate potentials. Probability and sensory neurones.
Involuntary eye movements : physiological nystagmus.
3 Methods of statistical analysis
Average evoked responses. Interpretation of gross responses. Voltage
gates. Mean frequency. Cross-correlation and the post-stimulus
histogram. Interval analysis. Autocorrelation. Independence of the
various forms of analysis. On-line computers.
4 The instability of random nerve nets
Definitions. Model neural networks. Cerebral cortex. Spinal reflex
after-discharge. The brain stem respiratory system. The instability
of neural nets. Function of random nets in the nervous system. The
whole brain regarded as a nerve net. The measurement of pre-
dictability.
5 The uncertain response of cortical neurones
Spatial representation of the environment. Temporal representation
of the environment. Universal and specific codes. Optical illusions.
Teleological approach to the problem of sensory coding. Retinal visual
codes. Transmission of information in the brain.
6 The stability of cortical neurones
The constant mean frequency of cortical neurones. Cortical conditions
for fused binocular vision. Goals of the intact nervous system.
The uncertain nervous system
vili
7 Learning and memory 141
Theory of learning machines. The value of theoretical models.
Evidence for prolonged changes of synaptic conductance in the c.n.s. ;
from gross electrodes ; from extracellular micro-electrodes. The direct
measurement of synaptic resistance.
8 The next step 162
Development of the nervous system. Simpler nervous systems. Neural
explants.
References 177
Author index 187
Subject Index 190