The Thalamus

The thalamus is a key structure in the mammalian brain, providing a hub for communication within and across distributed forebrain networks. Research in this area has undergone a revolution in the last decade, with findings that suggest an expanded role for the thalamus in sensory processing, motor control, arousal regulation, and cognition. Moving beyond previous studies of anatomy and cell neurochemistry, scientists have expanded into investigations of cognitive function, and harness new methods and theories of neural computation. This book provides a survey of topics at the cutting edge of this field, covering basic anatomy, evolution, development, physiology and computation. It is also the first book to combine these disciplines in one place, highlighting the interdisciplinary nature of thalamus research, and will be an essential resource for students and experts in biology, medicine and computer science.

About the Author

Michael M. Halassa is an Associate Professor in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He received the Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise in the Biomedical Sciences, an award given to immigrants who have made 'lasting contributions to American society through their extraordinary achievements in biomedical research.'