The Newborn Brain: Neuroscience and Clinical Applications

Development of the brain and the emergence of the mind constitute some of the most important concerns of contemporary biology. Disturbances during fetal life may have profound implications for a child's future neurological and psychological development, which can in turn impact society. The new edition of this highly respected work presents a comprehensive review of the basic mechanisms of brain development and the pathophysiology of disorders of the infant brain, written by a team of distinguished neuroscientists, neonatologists, and neuropediatricians. The book follows the main milestones of brain development, from formation of the neural tube and wiring of the neurons in the brain. Neurotrophic factors, neurotransmitters, glial cell biology, cerebral circulation development of sensory functions are all described in detail. Furthermore, there are more philosophical chapters on the evolution of the brain and the emergence of consciousness. Clinical considerations are highlighted where relevant.

Hugo Lagercrantz is Professor of Pediatrics at the Karolinska Institute and Clinical Consultant at the Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden. M. A. Hanson is Director of the Institute of Developmental Sciences, Director of the Development Origins of Health and Disease Division, and the British Heart Foundation Professor of Cardiovascular Science at the University of Southampton, UK. Laura R. Ment is Professor of Pediatrics and Neurology at Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA. Donald M. Peebles is Professor of Obstetrics at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University College London School of Medicine, London, UK.