Principles of Frontal Lobe Function

The second edition of Principles of Frontal Lobe Function is a newly organized, and thoroughly updated, volume divided into 9 different sections, each co-edited by leaders in the specific domain of frontal lobe research. The topic areas include anatomy and neuropharmacology, development, systems and models, fundamental cognitive mechanisms, social behavior, clinical neuropsychology, aging, psychiatric disorders, and rehabilitation. This organization reflects both an increase in our combined knowledge about frontal lobe functioning through new imaging technologies, as well as the expansion of the field as a whole to include new topics such as social neuroscience that were not discussed in the first edition.

Principles of Frontal Lobe Function will naturally be of particular interest to researchers and clinicians actively investigating how the frontal lobes operate and to understand dysfunction as a means to design treatment. This new edition will also be a useful resource for anyone involved in a discipline related to brain function, whether it be cognitive neuroscience, behavioral neurology, neuropsychiatry, neuropsychology, or neurorehabilitation. Our knowledge of how the frontal lobes are integrated with functioning in every other region of the brain is also integrating our approach to solving brain-based problems.

Authors in this volume represent investigators who are deep-rooted in frontal lobe research. As such, students will be exposed to both the classical and frontier perspectives and will gain significant insight into future research directions of what we believe to be the most fascinating area of the brain.

Donald T. Stuss, Ph.D., C. Psych., ABPP-CN, Order of Ontario, FRSC, FCAHS, is the founding (2011) President and Scientific Director of the Ontario Brain Institute; a Senior Scientist at the Rotman Research Institute of Baycrest Centre; University of Toronto Professor of Medicine (Neurology and Rehabilitation Science) and Psychology; founding Director of the Rotman Research Institute 1989 - 2008. His research focuses on understanding and treating the cognitive functions and personality changes associated with the frontal lobes as they occur after stroke, normal elderly, and in those with traumatic brain injury or dementia. He has one co-authored book, and four co-edited books; over 190 publications and 48 chapters; and presented over 250 invited scientific lectures and workshops. His publications have been cited over 13,000 times, with an H index of 58.

Robert T. Knight, MD, received a degree in Physics from the Illinois Institute of Technology, an MD from Northwestern University Medical School, obtained Neurology training at UCSD and did post-doctoral work at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies. He was a faculty member in the Department of Neurology at UC Davis School of Medicine from 1980-1998 and moved to UC Berkeley in 1998 serving as Director of the Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute from 2001 until 2011. His laboratory utilizes electrophysiological techniques in neurological and neurosurgical patients to delineate the role of prefrontal cortex in human cognitive. His laboratory also records electrocorticographic activity from neurosurgical patients with subdural electrodes to delineate cortical mechanisms of behavior as well as for development of neural prosthesis for motor and language restoration.. He founded the UC Berkeley-UCSF Center for Neural Engineering and Prosthesis in 2010. Dr. Knight received the Jacob Javits Award from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke for distinguished contributions to understanding neurological disorders, the IBM Cognitive Computing Award and the Humboldt Prize in Neurobiology. His H index is 67.