| Preface |
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xiii | |
| Introduction |
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1 | (4) |
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5 | (16) |
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6 | (1) |
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Do I need to pay attention? |
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7 | (1) |
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Why do I forget some things but not others? |
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8 | (1) |
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How are memories recalled? |
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9 | (1) |
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Do memories last forever? |
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10 | (1) |
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11 | (1) |
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How does the brain create a memory? |
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12 | (3) |
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Why are patients with Alzheimer's disease so forgetful? |
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15 | (1) |
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How is the memory loss treated? |
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16 | (2) |
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What does a memory look like? |
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18 | (1) |
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How does nicotine influence brain function? |
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19 | (2) |
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2 Why do I feel this way? |
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21 | (20) |
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23 | (4) |
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Why are close-talkers so frightening? |
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27 | (1) |
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27 | (2) |
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How is depression treated? |
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29 | (2) |
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Why do you sleep so poorly when you are depressed? |
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31 | (1) |
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Why is depression so common? |
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32 | (1) |
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What is the role of serotonin in depression? |
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32 | (2) |
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What is bipolar disorder? |
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34 | (2) |
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36 | (2) |
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Why do schizophrenics hear voices? |
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38 | (1) |
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Are dolphins schizophrenic? |
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39 | (1) |
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How is schizophrenia treated? |
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40 | (1) |
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3 How do food and drugs influence my brain? |
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41 | (32) |
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Why do plants affect the human brain? |
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42 | (2) |
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How do we become addicted to specific foods and drugs? |
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44 | (1) |
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Can I blame it on my parents? |
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45 | (2) |
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Why am I addicted to caffeine? |
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47 | (1) |
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What should I eat to feel better? |
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48 | (2) |
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How do I stop eating so much food? |
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50 | (1) |
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Is there a good time of day to eat? |
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51 | (1) |
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What about carbohydrates? |
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52 | (2) |
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54 | (1) |
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How does obesity affect brain function and development? |
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55 | (1) |
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56 | (3) |
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Why do I crave fat and sugar? |
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59 | (1) |
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Are we born destined to become obese? |
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59 | (1) |
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How do my gut bugs keep my brain healthy? |
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60 | (1) |
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Can a good diet make you smarter? |
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61 | (2) |
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What about an apple a day? |
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63 | (1) |
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Will you lose weight by eating these fruits? |
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64 | (1) |
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Are spices good for my brain? |
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65 | (1) |
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How do flavonoids benefit us? |
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66 | (1) |
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67 | (3) |
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70 | (3) |
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4 Why do I sleep and dream? |
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73 | (18) |
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73 | (1) |
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Why is sleep so important? |
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74 | (1) |
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What other daily rhythms do I experience? |
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75 | (1) |
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What happens when I disrupt these rhythms? |
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76 | (2) |
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How are eating and sleeping related? |
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78 | (1) |
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How does your brain control its rhythms? |
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78 | (2) |
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Why do I sometimes wake up paralyzed? |
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80 | (1) |
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Why do some people act out their dreams? |
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81 | (1) |
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What happens when I am dreaming? |
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81 | (2) |
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Why do I sometimes dream that I am being buried alive? |
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83 | (1) |
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Are children's dreams different? |
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83 | (1) |
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84 | (1) |
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85 | (1) |
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Does it matter what time I get up or go to bed? |
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85 | (1) |
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Does it matter who I sleep with? |
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86 | (1) |
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Why do I need that morning cup of coffee? |
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86 | (1) |
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Can I get too much sleep? |
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87 | (1) |
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What if I do not get enough sleep? |
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88 | (1) |
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What happens to sleep with aging? |
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89 | (2) |
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5 How does the brain age? |
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91 | (27) |
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When does age-related senescence begin? |
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92 | (1) |
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92 | (1) |
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93 | (1) |
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94 | (2) |
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How does caloric restriction work? |
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96 | (2) |
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Which brain region suffers the most with aging? |
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98 | (1) |
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How can I reduce inflammation in my brain? |
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99 | (3) |
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What is Parkinson's disease? |
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102 | (1) |
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How does my nervous system change as I get older? |
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103 | (1) |
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What happens to my vision? |
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104 | (1) |
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What happens to my hearing? |
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104 | (1) |
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What happens to my balance? |
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104 | (1) |
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What happens to the taste of food? |
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105 | (1) |
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Why do things feel differently? |
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105 | (1) |
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What can you do to slow aging? |
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106 | (1) |
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How much should you restrict your diet? |
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106 | (1) |
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What is the consequence of being overweight as I get older? |
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107 | (2) |
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What can you do about your aging brain? |
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109 | (1) |
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Do miracle cures for brain aging exist? |
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109 | (2) |
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Why do so many people fall under the spell of charlatans? |
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111 | (1) |
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112 | (2) |
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114 | (1) |
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What is the placebo effect? |
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114 | (4) |
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6 How does my brain accomplish so much? |
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118 | (37) |
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Are near-death visits to heaven real? |
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122 | (1) |
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How do nutrients and drugs get into my brain? |
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123 | (1) |
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How is the cortex organized? |
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124 | (1) |
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Why aren't human brains bigger? |
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125 | (1) |
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How does the cortex develop? |
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126 | (1) |
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How do male and female brains differ? |
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127 | (1) |
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Are bigger brains always better? |
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128 | (1) |
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129 | (1) |
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129 | (1) |
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What is multiple sclerosis? |
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130 | (1) |
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Does my brain work perfectly all of the time? |
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131 | (1) |
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What are neurotransmitters and what do they do for me? |
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132 | (3) |
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How is my brain organized? |
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135 | (1) |
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What happens in the front half of my brain? |
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136 | (2) |
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How does my brain produce speech? |
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138 | (1) |
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What happens in the back half of my brain? |
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139 | (3) |
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142 | (1) |
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Why does the brain devote so much time to daydreaming? |
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142 | (1) |
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What is the function of the temporal lobe? |
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143 | (1) |
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144 | (2) |
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146 | (2) |
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148 | (1) |
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What happens in the parietal lobe? |
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149 | (1) |
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Where is my cingulate gyrus and why should I care? |
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150 | (1) |
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What is "the little brain" and what does it do? |
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151 | (2) |
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How does my right brain talk to my left brain? |
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153 | (1) |
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154 | (1) |
| Glossary |
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155 | (6) |
| Further Reading |
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161 | (10) |
| Index |
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171 | |
