Single Neuron Studies of the Human Brain ─ Probing Cognition

In the last decade, the synergistic interaction of neurosurgeons, engineers, andneuroscientists, combined with new technologies, has enabled scientists to study the awake, behavinghuman brain directly. These developments allow cognitive processes to be characterized atunprecedented resolution: single neuron activity. Direct observation of the human brain has alreadyled to major insights into such aspects of brain function as perception, language, sleep, learning,memory, action, imagery, volition, and consciousness. In this volume, experts document thesuccesses, challenges, and opportunity in an emerging field. The book presents methodologicaltutorials, with chapters on such topics as the surgical implantation of electrodes and data analysistechniques; describes novel insights into cognitive functions including memory, decision making, andvisual imagery; and discusses insights into diseases such as epilepsy and movement disorders gainedfrom examining single neuron activity. Finally, contributors consider future challenges, questionsthat are ripe for investigation, and exciting avenues for translationalefforts.

ContributorsRalph Adolphs, William S. Anderson, ArjunK. Bansal, Eric J. Behnke, Moran Cerf, Jonathan O. Dostrovsky, Emad N. Eskandar, Tony Fields, ItzhakFried, Hagar Gelbard-Sagiv, C. Rory Goodwin, Clement Hamani, Chris Heller, Mojgan HodaieMatthewHoward III, William D. Hutchison, Matias Ison, Hiroto Kawasaki, Christof Koch, Rudiger Kohling,Gabriel Kreiman, Michel Le Van Quyen, Frederick A. Lenz, Andres M. Lozano, Adam N. Mamelak, ClarissaMartinez-Rubio, Florian Mormann, Yuval Nir, George Ojemann, Shaun R. Patel, Sanjay Patra, LindaPhilpott, Rodrigo Quian Quiroga, Ian Ross, Ueli Rutishauser, Andreas Schulze-Bonhage, Erin C.Schuman, Demetrio Sierra-Mercado, Richard J. Staba, Nanthia Suthana, William Sutherling, Travis S.Tierney, Giulio Tononi, Oana Tudusciuc, Charles L. Wilson

Itzhak Fried is Professor of Neurosurgery and Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences in the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and Professor of Neurosurgery at Tel-Aviv Medical Center and Tel Aviv University's Sackler Faculty of Medicine. Ueli Rutishauser is Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurosurgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. Moran Cerf is Donald P. Jacobs Assistant Professor of Business in the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern and Assistant Researcher in the Department of Neurosurgery at UCLA Medical Center. Gabriel Kreiman is Associate Professor of Ophthalmology and Neurology at Children's Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School.