Overview

The head carries most of the sensory systems that enable us to function effectively in our three-dimensional habitat. Without adequate head movement control, efficient spatial orientation and motor responses to visual and auditory stimuli could not be carried out. This is the most comprehensive and up-to-date account of the control of vertebrate head movements and its biomechanical and neural basis. It covers the entire spectrum of research on head-neck movements, ranging from the global description and analysis of a particular behavior to its underlying mechanisms at the level of neurotransmitter release and membrane biophysics. Physiological and anatomical aspects are stressed. The role of head movements in upright stance and other functional contexts within the vertebrate hierarchy is juxtaposed with the mechanisms of orienting behavior in a number of invertebrates. This reveals a plethora of solutions among different animal species for the problem of orientation in three-dimensional space. Although head movement control in humans figures prominently in this volume, the anatomical-physiological comparisons show that the human system is not unique. The conference from which this volume originated surveyed current research and theory on motor control mechanisms in the head-neck sensory-motor system. It was held in Fontainbleau, France on July 17-24, 1989. The book provides a broad panorama of methodological and theoretical approaches to the field of head movement control.

Full Product Details

Author:   Alain Berthoz (Director, Director) ,  Pierre Paul Vidal (, both of CNRS Laboratory of Neurosensory Physiology, Paris) ,  Werner Graf (Associate Professor, Associate Professor, Rockefeller University) ,  Werner Graf (Associate Professor, Rockefeller University)
Publisher:   Oxford University Press Inc
Imprint:   Oxford University Press Inc
Dimensions:   Width: 28.70cm , Height: 5.00cm , Length: 24.80cm
Weight:   2.605kg
ISBN:  

9780195068207

ISBN 10:   0195068203
Pages:   784
Publication Date:   16 April 1992
Audience:   College/higher education ,  Professional and scholarly ,  Postgraduate, Research & Scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Manufactured on demand  
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Table of Contents

PART I: Preface and Historical Context PART II: The Head-Neck System from an Anthropologist's Viewpoint PART III: Evolution of the Head-Neck Movement System PART IV: Comparative Aspects of the Head Neck Movement System a: Invertebrates b: Vertebrates PART V: Embryology and Ontogeny of the Head-Neck Movement System PART VI: Architecture of the Head-Neck Movement System a: Bones and Muscles b: Models and Theories PART VII:Sensors of the Head-Neck Movement System PART VIII: Neuronal Mechanisms of the Sensory Motor Transformations in the Head-Neck Movement System a: Spinal Mechanisms b: Vestibular Neuronss c: Collicular and Reticular Neurons d: The Interstitial Nucleus of Cajal and Beyond PART IX: Synergis and Strategies of Head Movements and Gaze Control a: Head Movement Control b: Orienting and Stabilizing Eye and Head Movements c: Timing and Prediction d: Linear Movement Analysis e: Perception f: Eye-Head Coordination and Reflex Behavior PART X: Head Movement During Posture, Locomotion and Complex Movements PART XI: Disorders of the Head-Neck System a: Vestibular Disorders b: Neurological Disorders

Reviews

This impressive volume begins with the anthropology and evolution of the head-neck system. An essential text for all engaged in this area of research. --Aslib Book Review

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