Brain Facts

A Primer on the Brain and Nervous System

Brain Facts is a 74-page primer on the brain and nervous system, published by SfN. Designed for a lay audience as an introduction to neuroscience, Brain Facts is also a valuable educational resource used by high school teachers and students who participate in Brain Awareness Week.

The 2008 edition updates all sections and includes new information on brain development, learning and memory, language, neurological and psychiatric illnesses, potential therapies, and more.

Download the full book (PDF) or download individual sections below. All downloads are PDFs.

Overview
Table of Contents | Introduction

Main Content
The Neuron: Neurotransmitters and Neuromodulators | Second Messengers

Brain Development: Birth of Neurons and Brain Wiring | Paring Back | Critical Periods

Sensation and Perception: Vision | Hearing | Taste and Smell | Touch and Pain

Learning, Memory, and Language: Learning and Memory | Language

Movement

Sleep: Brain Activity During Sleep | Sleep Disorders | How is Sleep Regulated?

Stress: The Immediate Response | Chronic Stress

Aging: Aging Neurons | Intellectual Capacity

Neural Disorders: Advances and Challenges: Addiction | Alzheimer's Disease | Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis | Anxiety Disorders | Attention Deficity Hyperactivity Disorder | Autism | Bipolar Disorder | Brain Tumors | Down Syndrome | Dyslexia | Huntington's Disease | Major Depression | Multiple Sclerosis | Neurological AIDS | Neurological Trauma | Pain | Parkinson’s Disease | Schizophrenia | Seizures and Epilepsy | Stroke | Tourette Syndrome

New Diagnostic Methods: Imaging Techniques | Gene Diagnosis

Potential Therapies: New Drugs | Trophic Factors | Engineered Antibodies | Small Molecules and RNAs | Cell and Gene Therapy

Neuroethics

Conclusion
Glossary | Neuroscience Resources

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