W. Martin Usrey – författare

The Oxford Encyclopedia of Sensory Systems provides a comprehensive scholarly account of the diverse means that organisms use to interact with their environments, as well as the biological adaptations that shape these systems across species.More than 100 leading scholars were commissioned to write brand new articles for these volumes, contributing to a collective effort that presents both foundational and emerging topics in the field of sensory neuroscience. Organized into topical sections, across 61 long-form articles, the Encyclopedia examines the somotaosensory, vestibular, olfactory, and gustatory systems of vertebrates and invertebrates alike. Each peer-reviewed article provides a thorough summary of the subject at hand and deepens understanding by discussing the history of perspectives on the topic, the current state of the field, and future directions for research.As a work, the Encyclopedia serves as a valuable contribution and testament to the variety of scholarship within sensory neuroscience. Researchers, students, and professionals alike will turn to The Oxford Encyclopedia of Sensory Systems as a standard reference in the field.

Every cortical area receives input from the thalamus and projects to the thalamus. The cortex and thalamus, therefore, are inseparable partners for sensation, action, and cognition. Exploring Thalamocortical Interactions provides readers with foundational knowledge needed to understand the cellular and circuit properties of thalamocortical networks, and then goes on to consider new ideas and hypotheses, some of which are quite speculative. Some of the major themes emphasized throughout the book include: · the need for a proper classification of thalamocortical and corticothalamic circuits· the role of spike timing for thalamocortical and corticothalamic communication and the mechanisms for modulating spike timing· the organization and function of corticothalamic feedback projections· the role of higher order thalamic nuclei in cortico-cortical communication and cortical functioning· attentional modulation of thalamocortical interactions· a rethinking of efference copies and distinguishing neural signals as sensory versus motorExploring Thalamocortical Interactions combines foundational knowledge from decades of research with fresh ideas and hypotheses on how the thalamus and cortex work together for sensation, action, and cognition.

For the first time, Drs. Usrey and Sherman, along with a who's who of luminaries in neuroscience research, seek to codify the roles that the cortex and thalamus and their interdependence on each other play for sensation, action, and cognition. The thalamus, in addition, has often been treated as a minor, rather insignificant player in cortical functioning. In the not too distant past, the thalamus was considered a rather boring, machine-like relay of subcortical information to the cortex. Over the past decade, there has been a groundswell of new and renewed interest in the thalamus and thalamocortical interactions, leading to discoveries demonstrating the thalamus's ongoing and essential role in cortical functioning and, likewise, the significance of the cortex for thalamic functioning.The Cerebral Cortex and Thalamus is a groundbreaking volume bringing together a cohesive account of cortical and thalamic mechanisms for control of behavior with an emphasis on the importance of interactions between the two structures. The book elucidates the research that makes it increasingly clear that the cortex and thalamus are necessary partners for sensory, motor, and cognitive functions. Interactions between thalamus and cortex are not only essential for proper brain function, they are also sensitive to a range of diseases that can have devastating consequences on individuals and society. An essential text for graduate students, early career investigators, and investigators looking to shift their research focus, The Cerebral Cortex and Thalamus is organized into topical sections covering circuit properties of thalamus and cortex, thalamocortical and corticothalamic motifs, sensory systems, motor systems, interareal cortical communication, cognitive properties, development and plasticity, evolution, computation, and disease.