Brain and Culture: Neurobiology, Ideology, and Social Change, by Bruce E. Wexler. 2006. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The MIT Press, 307 pp., $34.00 (HB).

In Brain and Culture: Neurobiology, Ideology, and Social Change, Bruce Wexler takes on the age old debate of “nature versus nurture.” His premise is that neurological and psychological functions are intrinsically tied to one another, that each one drives the development of the other, making it impossible to differentiate the two. In order to make his case, Dr. Wexler adeptly covers an impressive breadth of research from a diverse array of disciplines. He includes seminal works from cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, psychoanalysis, experimental psychology, sociology, anthropology, and of course, neuropsychology. Although Dr. Wexler does not present any new research in this book, by juxtaposing information from many disciplines, a new spin on the old debate clearly emerges.

An Introduction to the Event-Related Potential Technique (Cognitive Neuroscience), by Steven J. Luck. 2006. Cambridge, MA: Bradford/MIT Press, 376 pp., $40.00 (PB)

The dramatic increased interest in event-related potential (ERP) techniques in recent years has been very gratifying in light of concerns a few years ago that this approach to studying brain function would be eclipsed by developments in other areas of functional neuroimaging (e.g., PET, fMRI) that have better spatial resolution. Instead, there has been increasing recognition that the study of event-related electrical potentials and neuromagnetic responses remains a critical complements to “hemodynamic” approaches, in part because they provide a millisecond-by-millisecond record of neural information processing that occurs between presentation of a discrete stimulus and the production of the motor response. This exquisite temporal resolution cannot be matched by techniques such as PET or fMRI. Moreover, ERPs provide a more direct index of neural activity related to stimulus events than procedures dependent on the coupling of brain activity with cerebral blood flow. The instrumentation is comparatively low cost for setup and maintenance and potentially portable so studies can be obtained in a variety of settings. In this context, this engagingly written Introduction to the Event-Related Potential Technique by Steven J. Luck represents an important and long overdue entry-level book to provide practical and concise information about ERP theory and methods.

Recent and relevant.

The Effects of Estrogen on Brain Function. Natalie L. Rasgon (Ed.). 2006. Baltimore, MD: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 167 pp., $49.95 (HB).

The Effects of Estrogen on Brain Function, edited by Natalie L. Rasgon, is a collection of chapters about estrogen written by experts from different scientific disciplines. The research and controversies surrounding cognitive and neurophysiological changes related to hormone replacement therapy, especially within the context of Alzheimer's disease, are a primary focus. Apparent discrepancies arising from animal models suggesting beneficial effects of estrogen on cognitive performance paired with increased risk of Alzheimer's disease in postmenopausal women are addressed, and relevant literature from basic science research on estrogen neuroprotective and neurodegenerative effects at the cellular level to epidemiological studies in humans are discussed. Related research in neuroimaging and psychiatry are also included. However, one does not need an in-depth understanding of these diverse disciplines in order to come away from the book with a comprehensive understanding of the science and theoretical models involved. Although little time is spent on neuropsychological issues, the book should be of interest to anyone who does clinical assessment or research involving women. The effects of estrogen on cognitive performance are complex, as this book makes clear, and the information contained within this volume is relevant to the field of neuropsychology.

The Clinical Neuropsychiatry of Stroke: Cognitive, Behavioral, and Emotional Disorders following Vascular Brain Injury. Second Edition, by Robert G. Robinson. 2006. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 470 pp., $150.00 (HB)

Many researchers have explored the development of emotional and psychiatric disorders following stroke. Few individuals, however, have dedicated years of clinical research to the topic or have the depth of knowledge required to critically evaluate the existent large body of literature. In the second edition of The Neuropsychiatry of Stroke, Dr. Robert Robinson eloquently summarizes and reviews major findings, including his own work and that of other investigators of emotional and psychiatric functioning after stroke and other brain injuries. In the first edition of The Clinical Neuropsychiatry of Stroke (1998), Robinson explored factors associated with the development of neuropsychiatric disorders following stroke. In this second edition, the original text is updated with recent studies on the development of neuropsychiatric disorders, such as poststroke depression, mania, and anxiety. A cogent argument is presented for a second edition, noting that the number of publications related to poststroke depression alone between 1998 and 2004 had more than doubled compared to the prior 7-year period (1990 to 1997).

Brain Injury Treatment: Theories and Practices. José León-Carrión, Klaus R.H. von Wild, & George A. Zitnay (Eds.) 2006. New York, New York: Taylor & Francis, 581 pp., $125.00 (HB).

Brain Injury Treatment: Theories and Practices is an edited volume that provides the reader with a thorough overview of a broad range of approaches regarding the medical and psychological treatment of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Its uniqueness lies in two of its characteristics. It is international in its scope, presenting state-of-the-art methods used in various countries with a strong tradition in TBI treatment. It is also highly interdisciplinary, because the editors have brought together specialists from various fields, each with a chapter relevant to their particular area of expertise. These range from emergency medical services to integrating TBI survivors back into the work place. Despite the breadth of topics covered in this book, most chapters provide quite specific and detailed information, generally including background information for non-specialists plus a description of specific guidelines or criteria for the particular interventions. Therefore, this volume is a worthwhile guide for any professional or researcher working with TBI survivors.

Sports Neuropsychology: Assessment and Management of Traumatic Brain Injury. Ruben J. Echemendía (Ed.). 2006. New York: The Guilford Press, 324 pp., $45.00 (HB).

Sports Neuropsychology: Assessment and Management of Traumatic Brain Injury, edited by Ruben J. Echemendía, brings together a variety of experts in the area of sports concussion, in an effort to introduce psychologists and neuropsychologists to the rapidly developing area of sports neuropsychology. The book is organized into five parts. Part I, Sports Neuropsychology in Context, outlines the historical context for the development of sports neuropsychology as a professional endeavor. Chapter 1 (Barth, Broshek, and Freeman), introduces the readers to a number of important definitions that are used throughout the book, including concussion, post-concussion syndrome, second-impact syndrome, and the system of grading concussion severity. Importantly, Barth, a pioneer in the study of sports-related concussion, describes his early efforts at the University of Virginia using pre- and posttrauma assessment with the Sports as a Laboratory Assessment Model (SLAM)—a method of examining concussion in a controlled environment, which has become a standard for current practice. Chapter 2 (Zillmer, Schneider, Tinker, and Kamineris) provides a fascinating historical account of sports-related injuries, dating from the 8th century B.C. (ancient Olympic games) to the present. Their account chronicles the medical and behavioral assessment of head trauma (beginning with Hippocrates, who wrote extensively about head injury), to the modern-day three-tiered grading system introduced by Cantu (1986) and the American Academy of Neurology (1997), and provides a unique perspective on how neuropsychologists have come to play such a critical role in sports medicine. Chapter 3 (Echemendía) takes on the important task of highlighting the potential pitfalls inherent in consulting with athletes, including those at the collegiate and professional levels. Echemendía directly confronts the different “rules” associated with athletic consultation (e.g., flexibility of scheduling, dealing with the media) and challenges psychologists to examine their motivation for pursuing this type of specialty practice (i.e., the need to be around “celebrities”). The chapter even describes the down side of sports neuropsychology practice, including not being treated with the same level of professional respect that they are accustomed to receiving from their clients.

Inner Presence: Consciousness as a Biological Phenomenon, by Antti Revonsuo. 2006. Cambridge, Massachusetts, MIT Press, 473 pp., $55.00 (HB).

In his Prologue, Antti Revonsuo describes the main task of his book: “To depict a biological research program on consciousness.” (pg. xviii). He is interested in drawing upon proven research strategies to describe how we can study consciousness from a biological perspective that would allow us to ultimately answer the question: “What the place of the subjective psychological reality is in the physical universe?” (pg. xvi). In short, why has consciousness as a biological reality emerged to aid the process of evolution?

Recent and Relevant.