Giorgio Vallortigara – författare

The Origins of Consciousness challenges the dominant view that consciousness is an emergent property of the complex human brain.

Based on his pioneering research on a variety of organisms, Vallortigara argues that the most basic forms of mental life do not require large brains, and that the neurological surplus observed in some animals such as humans is likely at the service of memory storage, not of the processes of thought or, even less, of consciousness. The book argues for a simple neural mechanism that can provide the crucial event that brings into effect the minimum condition for subjective experience. Implications of the hypothesis for the appearance of consciousness in different organisms are discussed, as well as links with a variety of fascinating human phenomena such as disorders of consciousness, tickling and visual illusions.

Challenging widely accepted theories of consciousness, the book is a must-read for students and researchers of human and animal consciousness.

The Origins of Consciousness challenges the dominant view that consciousness is an emergent property of the complex human brain.

Based on his pioneering research on a variety of organisms, Vallortigara argues that the most basic forms of mental life do not require large brains, and that the neurological surplus observed in some animals such as humans is likely at the service of memory storage, not of the processes of thought or, even less, of consciousness. The book argues for a simple neural mechanism that can provide the crucial event that brings into effect the minimum condition for subjective experience. Implications of the hypothesis for the appearance of consciousness in different organisms are discussed, as well as links with a variety of fascinating human phenomena such as disorders of consciousness, tickling and visual illusions.

Challenging widely accepted theories of consciousness, the book is a must-read for students and researchers of human and animal consciousness.

This second edition volume expands on the previous edition with updates on the latest techniques used to study brain and behavioral laterality in both human and non-human animals. The chapters in this book cover numerous topics such as methods of measuring lateralization in a range of species by scoring behavior elicited by inputs to one of both brain hemispheres; behavioral methods to study motor preferences and lateralization in invertebrates; neurological methods to reveal lateralization; imaging and electrocephalographic techniques and transcranial stimulation; and new genetic approaches to studying lateralization in humans and zebrafish, and the roles of genes in the establishment and development of brain asymmetry. In the Neuromethods series style, chapters include the kind of detail and key advice from the specialists needed to get successful results in your laboratory.Cutting-edge and authoritative, Lateralized Brain Function: Methods in Human and Non-Human Species, Second Edition is a valuable resource for further research on brain and behavioral asymmetries in human and non-human species. This book will provide both expert and novel researchers with answers to their questions, while also encouraging vital collaborations.

This volume explores both simple and sophisticated techniques used in the study of different types of lateralization of brain and behavior. Research in this field increases our understanding of various brain functions in humans, other vertebrate species, and invertebrates. The book is divided into five parts: behavioral methods; neurobiological methods; electroencephalographic, imaging, and neuro-stimulation methods; genetic techniques; and development of lateralization. Part I addresses measuring lateralization by scoring behavior induced by inputs to one or the other side of the brain in a range of species. Part II covers neurobiological methods used to reveal lateralization, such as lesion studies, electrophysiology and pharmacology, early gene expression, and new optogenetic methods. Part III looks at imaging techniques, electroencephalographic techniques, and transcranial stimulation to reveal lateralization. Part IV describes techniques used to study the role of genes in the development and establishment of brain asymmetry in humans and other species. Lastly, Part V refers to methods used in the study of development of lateralization through the manipulation of sensory exposure, hormone levels, and in model systems. In Neuromethods series style, chapters include the kind of detail and key advice from the specialists needed to get successful results in your own laboratory.Cutting-edge and thorough, Lateralized Brain Function: Methods in Human and Non-Human Species is a valuable resource for investigating lateralization in a broad range of species and provides excellent advice for both new and veteran researchers.