Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
Pages: 176
•
Trim: 6¼ x 9¼
978-1-4422-1823-9 • Hardback • August 2012 • $66.00 • (£51.00)
978-1-4422-1824-6 • Paperback • September 2016 • $35.00 • (£30.00)
978-1-4422-1825-3 • eBook • August 2012 • $33.00 • (£25.00)
Acknowledgments
Introduction
1. The Anatomy of the Hypothalamus and the Control of Hunger
2. The Hypothalamus and the Control of Thirst and Body Temperature
3. The Hypothalamus and the Control of Sex and Emotions
4. The Hypothalamus and the Control of Sleep
5. The hypothalamus and the Secretion of Hormones.
6. Some Final Thoughts on Mice and Men
Notes
Index
About the Author
Sensations of hunger, thirst, sexual attraction, and love can dominate our thoughts to the exclusion of almost everything else, but until the last 10 years or so, the precise reasons why these passions arise have not been understood very well. We now know that these, and other drives like the urge to sleep, are controlled by a small portion of the brain called the hypothalamus. This book presents the latest information about how the brain controls our most basic drives in an accessible language. (Previous Edition Praise)
— Journal of Consumer Policy
John K. Young's book, Hunger, Thirst, Sex, and Sleep: How the Brain Controls Our Passions, is an excellent, concise summary of the role that the brain plays in the basic biology of behavior. Anyone with an interest in how the brain controls our hunger, thirst, drives and emotions will find the book an enjoyable and informative read. Dr. Young tells many different and exciting stories of discoveries that changed our understanding of the brain. Too often these stories are lost to the libraries of scientific and technical jargon. Here, the rich history of research on the hypothalamus is told with an accessible and enjoyable narrative style that can be appreciated by any interested reader. (Previous Edition Praise)
— Stephen Benoit, Ph.D., associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral neuroscience, University of Cincinnati
Dr. Young explains the enormously complex neurophysiology of the hypothalamus in a relevant, accessible and refreshingly readable manner for the non-scientist. He is a natural teacher, and the book transitions seamlessly between explanations of genetic, anatomical, physiological and evolutionary concepts. (Previous Edition Praise)
— Janette M. Krum, Ph.D., associate professor, director of undergraduate studies, Department of Anatomy and Regenerative Biology, The George Washington University Medical Center
At this time of rapid growth in biomedical science, it is crucial for the lay public to be scientifically literate. In Hunger, Thirst, Sex, and Sleep, Dr. Young demonstrates an outstanding ability to describe complex anatomy and function in an understandable, easygoing style. I enthusiastically recommend this book to those interested in human emotions and the underlying scientific basis for our passions as human beings. (Previous Edition Praise)
— Robert M. Klein, M.D., MBA, director of Behavioral Health, Northeastern University Health and Counseling Services and assistant clinical professor, Tufts University School of Medicine