Brain Sense : The Science of the Senses and How We Process the World Around Us

Have you ever wondered why you remember color images and scenes so much better than those in black and white? The answer is in the way our brains interpret and process the sights, smells, tastes, and touches that make up our lives. "Brainsense" explores brain function and the senses, and offers new insight about what makes us tick. Based on new research and interviews with renowned scientists, readers will discover how the brain really works. Divided into chapters, one for each sense, "Brainsense" offers a new perspective into how we process the world around us. Both enlightening and engaging, this book will help us understand the elusive mysteries of the brain. Complex and crucially important, the senses collect the massive amount of information we need to navigate daily life, and serve as a filter between our inner selves and the larger world. But the science of how the senses work has been little understood—until now. New research is rapidly uncovering fascinating insights into how the brain processes sensory information. It's not simply a matter of the brain controlling the senses; the senses actually stimulate brain development. For example, the brain's sound-processing centers mature properly only when sound impulses trigger them to do so—which is why cochlear implants are best used before the age of three. Brain Sense reveals this and a wealth of findings on how the brain and senses interact, as it examines each of the five major senses: touch, smell, taste, vision, and hearing. With eloquent writing and gripping stories, the author deploys a rare gift for explaining complex scientific ideas in a way that is clear and comprehensible. She introduces the scientists at the forefront of “brain sense” studies—neurologists, brain mappers, bio­chemists, physicians, cognitive psychologists, and others—as well as real-life people who are contributing to the research and benefiting from its practical applications, such as haptic devices to assist people who have lost limbs or rehabilitative software for those who have suffered impairments to their motion vision. You'll find new research that explains: • Why placebos work by changing the way the brain processes pain • How humans respond to pheromones in the same manner as other animals • How taste is highly influenced by expectations of taste • Why color significantly aids the ability to remember an object • How the capacity for language is already at work in newborn babies • What happens in the brain to produce sensory experiences such as déjà vu and phantom limb pain • And much more Expansive and enlightening, Brain Sense shows us that the brain is both flexible and variable, and the reality that we construct based on inputs gathered from the senses differs from person to person. It sheds a much-needed light on the elusive workings of the extraordinary human brain. Contents......Page 8 Preface: Falling in Love with Science......Page 10 Acknowledgments......Page 14 PART ONE: TOUCH......Page 16 1 Life Without Touch......Page 18 2 In from the Cold......Page 24 3 On Which Side Is Your Bread Buttered?......Page 30 4 Pain and the Placebo Effect......Page 36 5 Nematodes, Haptics, and Brain–Machine Interfaces......Page 44 PART TWO: SMELL......Page 52 6 It’s Valentine’s Day... Sniff!......Page 54 7 Do Odors Dance in Your Nose?......Page 60 8 Life Without Scent......Page 68 9 The Sweaty Scent of Sex......Page 74 10 Express Train to Happiness......Page 80 PART THREE: TASTE......Page 88 11 The Bitter Truth......Page 90 12 Coconut Crazy......Page 98 13 Cooking Up Some Brain Chemistry......Page 104 14 How to Knit a Baby Taste Bud......Page 110 15 Expecting What You Taste and Tasting What You Expect......Page 116 PART FOUR: VISION......Page 122 16 The Big Picture......Page 124 17 Color and Memory......Page 132 18 Sizing Things Up......Page 138 19 On the Move......Page 145 20 Vision and the Video Game......Page 152 PART FIVE: HEARING......Page 160 21 Hearing, Left and Right......Page 162 22 Listening and Language......Page 169 23 My Ears Are Ringing......Page 175 24 Music and the Plastic Brain......Page 181 25 Cochlear Implant: One Man’s Journey......Page 189 PART SIX: BEYOND THE BIG FIVE......Page 196 26 Synesthesia: When Senses Overlap......Page 198 27 If This Looks Like Déjà Vu, You Ain’t Seen Nuthin’ Yet......Page 205 28 Feeling a Phantom......Page 212 29 Probabilities and the Paranormal......Page 221 30 Time......Page 227 Appendix: The Brain and the Nervous System—A Primer......Page 234 Notes......Page 250 Recommended Resources......Page 278 B......Page 282 C......Page 283 H......Page 284 M......Page 285 P......Page 286 S......Page 287 T......Page 288 Z......Page 289 Complex And Crucially Important, The Senses Collect The Massive Amount Of Information We Need To Navigate Daily Life, And Serve As A Filter Between Our Inner Selves And The Larger World. But The Science Of How The Senses Work Has Been Little Understood - Until Now. New Research Is Rapidly Uncovering Fascinating Insights Into How The Brain Processes Sensory Information. It's Not Simply A Matter Of The Brain Controlling The Senses; The Senses Actually Stimulate Brain Development. For Example, The Brain's Sound-processing Centers Mature Properly Only When Sound Impulses Trigger Them To Do So - Which Is Why Cochlear Implants Are Best Used Before The Age Of Three. Brain Sense Reveals This And A Wealth Of Findings On How The Brain And Senses Interact, As It Examines Each Of The Five Major Senses: Touch, Smell, Taste, Vision, And Hearing.--jacket. Life Without Touch -- In From The Cold -- On Which Side Is Your Bread Buttered? -- Pain And The Placebo Effect -- Nematodes, Haptics, And Brain-machine Interfaces -- It's Valentine's Day-- Sniff! -- Do Odors Dance In Your Nose? -- Life Without Scent -- The Sweaty Scent Of Sex -- Express Train To Happiness -- The Bitter Truth -- Coconut Crazy -- Cooking Up Some Brain Chemistry -- How To Knit A Baby Taste Bud -- Expecting What You Taste And Tasting What You Expect -- The Big Picture -- Color And Memory -- Sizing Things Up -- On The Move -- Vision And The Video Game -- Hearing, Left And Right -- Listening And Language -- My Ears Are Ringing -- Music And The Plastic Brain -- Cochlear Implant : One Man's Journey -- Synesthesia : When Senses Overlap -- If This Looks Like Déjà Vu, You Ain't Seen Nuthin' Yet -- Feeling A Phantom -- Probabilities And The Paranormal -- Time. Faith Hickman Brynie. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 263-265) And Index. Have you ever wondered why you remember color images and scenes so much better than those in black and white? Or do you ponder why that first cup of morning coffee tastes better than anything you'll have all day? The answer lies in the way our brains interpret and process the sights, smells, sounds, tastes, and touches that make up our lives. Brain Sense explores the latest research on brain function and the senses and offers fascinating new insights about what makes us tick. The book melds interviews with renowned scientists with stories of everyday experiences to illustrate how our brains process the world around us. Divided into parts, one for each sense, Brain Sense reveals: why what you eat and drink is not necessarily what you taste how we respond to pheromones how the body reacts to touch how music changes how the brain works the real truth about the sixth sense how the brain's electrical responses affect hearing Both enlightening and engaging, this book will help us more fully understand the elusive mysteries of the human brain. "Complex and crucially important, the senses collect the massive amount of information we need to navigate daily life, and serve as a filter between our inner selves and the larger world. But the science of how the senses work has been little understood - until now." "New research is rapidly uncovering fascinating insights into how the brain processes sensory information. It's not simply a matter of the brain controlling the senses; the senses actually stimulate brain development. For example, the brain's sound-processing centers mature properly only when sound impulses trigger them to do so - which is why cochlear implants are best used before the age of three. Brain Sense reveals this and a wealth of findings on how the brain and senses interact, as it examines each of the five major senses: touch, smell, taste, vision, and hearing."--BOOK JACKET Life without touch In from the cold On which side is your bread buttered? Pain and the placebo effect Nematodes, haptics, and brain-machine interfaces It's Valentine's day sniff! Do odors dance in your nose? Life without scent The sweaty scent of sex Express train to happiness The bitter truth Coconut crazy Cooking up some brain chemistry How to knit a baby taste bud Expecting what you taste? : tasting what you expect The big picture Color and memory Sizing things up On the move Vision and the video game Hearing, left, and right Listening and language My ears are ringing Music and the plastic brain Cochlear implant : one man's journey Synesthesia : when senses overlap If this looks like deja vu, you ain't seen nuthin' yet Feeling a phantom Probabilities and the paranormal Time. "Have you ever wondered why you remember color images and scenes so much better than those in black and white? Or do you ponder why that first cup of morning coffee tastes better than anything you'll have all day? The answer lies in the way our brains interpret and process the sights, smells, sounds, tastes, and touches that make up our lives. Brain Sense explores the latest research on brain function and the senses and offers fascinating new insights about what makes us tick. The book melds interviews with renowned scientists with stories of everyday experiences to illustrate how our brains brains process the world around us"--Provided by publisher Coaching has traditionally focused entirely on the individual... sometimes even at the expense of improving measurable business results for the company. This book includes a 360-degree assessment covering the ten most essential skill sets of well-balanced and effective leaders, as well as systems for measuring and managing talent.