Basic Clinical Neuroscience, 3rd edition

Book Preface

This third edition of Basic Clinical Neuroscience continues the fundamental objective of the first edition “to provide the anatomical basis for neurologic abnormalities …” so as to be able to answer the question “Where is the lesion located?” The second edition, in addition to the emphasis of “… to correlate neuroanatomic structures with clinically relevant function,” included fundamental physiologic concepts underlying normal nervous system function and the pathophysiologic basis for abnormal nervous system activity. In this new edition, our goal continues to be to describe the subject in a succinct and simple manner so that it will facilitate learning in students of all health science fields.

Substantial changes have been made in the third edition to facilitate student learning of clinical neurosciences. First and foremost, most of the figures have been colorized, thereby greatly enhancing the most important features of neural structure and connections. Secondly, revision to the text has brought up-to-date current knowledge of brain structure and function Additional Clinical Connections have been added to augment student awareness of clinical correlates of brain structure and connectivity. Finally, additional questions, most in USMLE format, have been added at the end of each chapter with the answers explained in Appendix A.

The authors are most grateful to Ms. Patricia Anderson and especially Ms. Kris Sherman for  their assistance in preparing the manuscript. Mr. Larry Clifford prepared the illustrations used in the first edition, many of which have been modified in the third edition by adding multiple colors to highlight significant structures and connections. The authors are very grateful and much indebted to the staff of Lippincott Williams & Wilkins for their interest and support, particularly Crystal Taylor, Lauren Pecarich, and Jennifer Clements. All Williams & Wilkins staff were extremely gracious and patient in aiding the authors to bring the third edition to print.