Brain and Behavior: Research in Clinical Neuropsychology

Research in the field of clinical neuropsychology has greatlyadvanced understanding of the complex relationshipsbetween brain functions and human behavior. This editedcollection, originally published in the early days of thisdynamic field, draws from the findings of clinical study,animal experimentation, and developmental observationto clarify the relationships between brain and behavior.The result is a report on the state of knowledge at thattime, and a barometer of how far the field has come.The book’s contributors include some of the leadingfigures in the field of human and developmentalneuropsychology. They present comprehensive reviewsof salient topics on which they themselves have doneimportant investigative work. An introduction by KlausPoeck describes the historical evolution of clinical Neuropsychology and discusses the status of the field fromboth substantive and methodological standpoints. GeorgeEttlinger and Colin Blakemore describe understandingof inter-hemispheric relations as demonstrated by studiesin animals and man. Sidney Weinstein discusses thephenomenon of the "phantom" in patients with amputatedbody parts and its implications for the concept of bodyimage.Norman Geschwind, who was instrumental in revivinginterest in the anatomical approach to aphasia, focuses onsome unsolved anatomical problems and suggests neededclinical and experimental study. Arthur L. Benton outlinesquestions concerning constructional apraxia. JosephineSemmes offers a brilliant reformulation on whether thereare discrete basic types of somatosensory function. LuigiVignolo presents a masterful analysis of the concept ofauditory agnosia and describes his own research in thisarea. Concentrating on a few important problem areas,each of which is intensively probed, this book offers valuableinsight into how research advances understanding ofthe neuroanatomical bases of behavior.