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Zusatztext The excerpts from original articles and Shepherd's scholarly comment give a balanced and orderly history of the evidence for the neuron doctrine from the earliest discoveries to its final triumph in the hands of the Spanish histologist Ramön y Cajal. Shepherd's treatment of the reticular theorists is particularly helpful. The book is of interest and importance for anyone interested in the history of the nervous system. The book is essential for every library which covers the history of biology or medicine, and a pleasure for those of us interested in the nervous system. Klappentext For a century! the neuron doctrine has been the basis for our concepts of nervous organization and brain function! stating that the cell theory applies to the nervous system. Santiago Ramon y Cajal! Spain's greatest scientist! was its main architect; his main tool being a capricious nerve cell stain discovered by Camillo Golgi. Electron microscopical studies in the 1950s appeared to confirm the classical doctrine but subsequent studies revealed unsuspectedcomplexities. This book reviews the new studies against the classical work and suggests new directions for revising our concept of the neuron as a basis for the functional organization of the nervous system. Zusammenfassung For a century, the neuron doctrine has been the basis for concepts of nervous organization and brain function, stating that the cell theory applies to the nervous system. This study reviews the original papers on which the neuron doctrine was based and suggests new directions for research. Inhaltsverzeichnis Introduction and overview; From the beginnings to the cell theory; Do nerve cells belong in the cell theory?; Nerve cells or nerve nets?; Kolliker gives in; Support builds for networks; The nerve cell studies of Freud; The revolutionary method of Golgi; A neuron theory takes form: His, Forel, Nansen; Ramon Y Cajal: The shock of recognition; The early discoveries of Cajal; The laws of Cajal; Joining the mainstream; The neuron doctrine; The law of dynamic polarization; Controversy; The synapse and the growth cone; Forging a consensus; Confrontation in Stockholm; Modern revisions of the neuron doctrine; Comments on sources; References; Author index; Subject index....
