• By Simon F. Crowe

It is hard to imagine what it must be like for an individual following the personal crisis and catastrophe that ensues as a result of a serious traumatic brain injury. The individual is confronted with a huge range of alterations in his or her normal functioning, operating at the biological, psychological and social levels.

From the neurological perspective a range of primary and secondary neurological events occurs, culminating in pain, seizures, compromise in movement, sensation, perception, orthopaedic and other injuries; neuropsychological compromise including disorientation, confusion, retrograde and anterograde memory deficits, decrease in attention and concentration, slowed speed of information processing; executive deficits including concreteness in idea generation, disinhibition and impulsivity; psychological deficits including diminished self-esteem, loneliness, a renewed dependency on parents or spouse, infantilization by the wider community, diminution of sexual functioning and interest, depression, anxiety and social isolation; and economic deficits including loss of income, loss of one's employment as a defining features of one's social persona, medical costs, loss of treasured interests or hobbies and the unenviable role of the plaintiff in any medico-legal proceedings surrounding the claim.

All of these changes are also occurring to an individual who has just had a near-death experience, culminating not too surprisingly in the reflections "Who I am?" and "Why I am here?".

As a result, these individuals can develop a wide range of behavioral, emotional and psychiatric conditions following the injury, including depression, bipolar disorder, secondary mania, psychotic states, post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, phobic disorders and generalised anxiety disorders, to name only a few. These individuals can also be subject to a number of neuropsychiatric syndromes, including disorders of drive, disorders of impulse control and disturbance of neurovegetative functioning, including disruptions of sleep, eating and sexual function.

This book presents the current state of our knowledge of the behavioral and emotional effects which can occur as a sequelae of TBI, and addresses issues associated with their differential diagnosis and the neurobiological mechanisms by which these might occur.

The book will prove an excellent resource not only for clinicians who practice as psychiatrists, behavioural neurologists, clinical neuropsychologists and clinical psychologists, but also for psychologists in advanced training and for any individual who is involved in caring for or working with individuals with TBI.

ISBN: 9781841694412

Published February 28 2008 by Psychology Press.

A Review

• Edited by Peter Mariën, Jubin Abutalebi

In a broad sense, neuropsychology stands for the branch of brain sciences that aims to understand how the structure and function of the brain relate to specific cognitive and psychological processes. The idea of developing a research field somewhere between neurology and cognitive psychology emerged in the 1960s as a result of studies conducted by both disciplines which, although using different methodologies and tools, were analysing the same issues. Neuropsychology particularly puts emphasis on the clinical and experimental study of the cognitive effects of brain injury or neurological diseases, taking models of normal cognitive functioning into account.

Neuropsychological Research: A Review provides a meticulous overview of what has been achieved in the field of cognitive neuropsychology from its early beginnings in the 1960s and 1970s to the present day. Authors include some of the pioneers involved in the genesis of neuropsychology as an independent and distinct field of neuroscience. The comprehensive coverage includes language disorders, skilled movement disorders, recognition disorders, attentional and executive disorders, visuo-perceptual disorders, memory disorders, and neurodegenerative diseases.

This fascinating text forms an enjoyable tribute to the rich heritage of neuropsychology, and will be essential reading for researchers and students of neuropsychology, clinical psychology, cognitive psychology, and behavioural neuroscience.

ISBN: 9781841696201

Published February 07 2008 by Psychology Press.

Theories and Protagonists

• By Juergen Tesak, Chris Code

Milestones in the History of Aphasia surveys the history of aphasia from its earliest mentions in ancient times, to the turn of the new millennium in 2000.

The book takes a predominantly chronological approach starting with an examination of the earliest medical documents and medieval attempts to understand aphasia, to the momentous events of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries, up to the development of modern cognitive neuroscience in recent years. It traces the development of theory about and understanding of aphasia, and the role of significant individuals in this history. The result is a well illustrated introduction to the main events and personalities in the rich history of aphasia.

This accessible book provides a unique insight into the fascinating development of research in aphasia. It will be of great interest to undergraduates and postgraduates, researchers, teachers and clinicians in psychology, speech and language pathology and therapy, neurology and linguistics.

ISBN: 9781841695136

Published February 01 2008 by Psychology Press.

• Edited by Joel E. Morgan, Joseph H. Ricker

With close to fifty chapters by some of the most prominent clinical neuropsychologists, the Textbook of Clinical Neuropsychology sets a new standard in the field in its scope, breadth, and scholarship. Unlike most other books in neuropsychology, the Textbook is organized primarily around syndromes, disorders, and related clinical phenomena. Written for the clinician at all levels of training, from the beginner to the journeyman, the Textbook presents contemporary clinical neuropsychology in a comprehensive volume.

Chapters are rich with reviews of the literature and clinical case material spanning a range from pediatric to adult and geriatric disorders. Chapter authors are among the most respected in their field, leaders of American Neuropsychology, known for their scholarship and professional leadership. Rarely have so many distinguished members of one discipline been in one volume.

This is essential reading for students of neuropsychology, and all others preparing for careers in the field.

ISBN: 9781841694771

Published January 18 2008 by Taylor and Francis.

A Special Issue of the Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology

• Edited by Dr Dorothy Bishop, Margaret Snowling, Sarah-Jayne Blakemore

Uta Frith has been an outstandingly influential figure in the field of developmental neuropsychology for over 40 years, and is internationally renowned for her work on developmental cognitive disorders. Her scholarly influence has defined contemporary research on atypical development, notably in the fields of autism and dyslexia.

This tribute to Uta brings together her former graduate students, post-doctoral scientists and collaborators in a series of papers that provide reflections on current theory and research. The volume bears the hallmark of Uta’s mentoring by including critical ‘state of the art’ reviews, empirical research which challenges mainstream views and consideration of alternative hypotheses that set the stage for future research. Topics covered include behavioural and neuroimaging studies of autism, dyslexia, psychopathy, as well as theoretical and experimental accounts of normal and abnormal development of intelligence, reading and social cognition.

This special issue of the Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology will be of interest to all students and researchers in the area.

ISBN: 9781841698397

Published December 20 2007 by Psychology Press.

• By Vesna Mildner

This is a book about speech and language. It is primarily intended for those interested in speech and its neurophysiological bases: phoneticians, linguists, educators, speech therapists, psychologists, and neuroscientists. Although speech and language are its central topic, it provides information about related topics as well (e.g. structure and functioning of the central nervous system, research methods in neuroscience, theories and models of speech production and perception, learning, and memory). Data on clinical populations are given in parallel with studies of healthy subjects because such comparisons can give a better understanding of intact and disordered speech and language functions.

There is a review of literature (more than 600 sources) and research results covering areas such as neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, development of the nervous system, sex differences, history of neurolinguistics, behavioral, neuroimaging and other research methods in neuroscience, linguistics and psychology, theories and models of the nervous system function including speech and language processing, kinds of memory and learning and their neural substrates, critical periods, various aspects of normal speech and language processes (e.g. phonetics, phonology, syntax, semantics, reading), bilingualism, speech and language disorders, and many others.

Newcomers to the field of neurolinguistics will find it as readable as professionals will because it is organized in a way that gives the readers flexibility and an individual approach to the text. The language is simple but all the technical terms are provided, explained, and illustrated. A comprehensive glossary provides additional information.

ISBN: 9780805854350

Published October 15 2007 by Psychology Press (formerly published by Lawrence Erlbaum Associates).

3rd Edition

• Edited by Fergus I. M. Craik, Timothy A. Salthouse

Cognitive aging is a flourishing area of research. A significant amount of new data, a number of new theoretical notions, and many new research issues have been generated in the past ten years. This new edition reviews new findings and theories, enables the reader to assess where the field is today, and evaluates its points of growth. The chapters are organized to run from reviews of current work on neuroimaging, neuropsychology, genetics and the concept of brain reserve, through the 'mainstream' topics of attention, memory, knowledge and language, to a consideration of individual differences and of cognitive aging in a lifespan context. This edition continues to feature the broad range of its predecessors, while also providing critical assessments of current theories and findings.

ISBN: 9780805859904

Published October 09 2007 by Psychology Press (formerly published by Lawrence Erlbaum Associates).

• Edited by John DeLuca, Jessica H. Kalmar

Although investigated for over 100 years, it is only now that we are beginning to understand how speed of information processing is affected in various clinical populations. Processing speed has a major impact on higher level cognitive abilities and is extremely vulnerable to neurological insult and the aging process. The importance of processing speed with respect to brain function, cognition and overall quality of life is now the focus of a new and exciting body of research in clinical populations.

This book provides a scholarly and clinically sensitive review of research on processing speed and its issues in clinical populations. Readers will come away with an in-depth understanding of human information processing speed including its historical development, its relationship to other cognitive functions, the developmental course of the ability across the lifespan, and its impact on everyday life in various clinical populations. Other highlights of the text are its discussion of the speed vs. accuracy trade-off, tools available for measuring processing speed, the unfolding research on genetic contributions to processing speed, and the latest ideas in rehabilitation.

With contributing authors who are experts in their fields, Information Processing Speed in Clinical Populations represents a valuable resource for researchers, scholars, and clinicians by providing a concise summary of the existing research on processing speed across an array of disciplines and populations.

ISBN: 9781841694764

Published September 12 2007 by Psychology Press.

The Story of Israeli Sign Language

• By Irit Meir, Wendy Sandler

This English version of A Language in Space: The Story of Israeli Sign Language, which received the Bahat Award for most outstanding book for a general audience in its Hebrew edition, is an introduction to sign language using Israeli Sign Language (ISL) as a model. Authors Irit Meir and Wendy Sandler offer a glimpse into a number of fascinating descriptions of the ISL community to which linguists and other researchers may not have access. An underlying premise of the book is that language is a mental system with universal properties, and that language lives through people.

A clear and engaging read, A Language in Space addresses relevant aspects of sign language, including the most abstract questions and matters related to society and community. Divided into three parts, the book covers:

• the linguistic structure of Israeli Sign Language;
• the language and its community; and
• a broad depiction of ISL and the contribution of sign language research to linguistic theory.

This book is intended for linguists (with or without a background in sign language), psychologists, sociologists, educators, students, and anyone with an interest in the human capacity for language.

ISBN: 9780805855708

Published September 07 2007 by Psychology Press (formerly published by Lawrence Erlbaum Associates).

A special issue of Neuropsychological Rehabilitation

• Edited by Bonnie-Kate Dewar, Huw Williams

Encephalitis - inflammation of the brain - has significant cognitive, behavioural and emotional consequences.

This special edition describes the pathway of recovery following encephalitis, from medical management to assessment, rehabilitation and community support and advocacy.

The neuropsychological and neuropsychiatric outcomes of encephalitis in both adult and paediatric populations are described, in addition to a number of rehabilitation studies which aim to increase the functional independence and psychosocial adjustment of survivors of this rare neurological condition.

ISBN: 9781841698366

Published September 06 2007 by Psychology Press.