Neuroanatomy: An Atlas of Structures, Sections, and Systems, 5th Edition

To our ancient ancestors, the mass of gelatinous tissue between our two ears was a mystery for the most part; its importance, nevertheless, was underscored by the serious consequences of damage to it. Several thousand years later, the brain still represents one of the frontiers of biomedicine, a mystery which is tenaciously guarded behind layers of neurobiological riddle. Our first understanding of the importance of our brains to everything from the subtleties of memory and cognition to motor function came together as we gradually pieced together the various deficits suffered by individuals who had damaged parts of their brains. Therefore, the intricate anatomy of the brain became the initial road map to understand the function of the brain. This endeavor continues today, and neuroanatomy remains a common dictionary for piecing together the more detailed understanding of the brain afforded us by the advances in cellular neurobiology and neurophysiology. So it is conceivable that neuroanatomy is a fundamental course taken by junior medical students and graduate students of the neurosciences. Crucial to learning any anatomy is a good atlas from which structures may be appreciated in their proper orientation. Enter Neuroanatomy by Duane E. Haines, a popular choice for neophytes to the field for the better part of the last two decades. This fifth edition represents the latest revisions to the text since 1995. Several changes, all for the better, have been made to this edition, making it Haines' strongest product to date. Certain old radiograms have been removed, and sixty new labeled images (CT and MRI) have been included. This is one of the best features of the new edition. Labeled MRI images are placed adjacent to the labeled gross specimens, thereby rendering an effective and highly educational juxtaposition. The understanding of in situ neuroradiological anatomy will be of direct clinical utility for many students of neuroanatomy, and helps to place an important clinical context from which case studies are effectively interpreted. Moreover, consistent with emerging clinical technology, the neurovasculature is also represented by new MRA (magnetic resonance angiography) and MRV (magnetic resonance venography) images, which will again be a more common clinical visualization of the brain vasculature. Important clinical ascending and descending systems have also been coherently put together as color coded pathways to help integrate the systems with the anatomy in a very useful educational tool. All together, the revisions of this latest edition of the Haines atlas make the book more clear, concise, and informative. This is a valuable resource for students of neuroanatomy. The clinical emphasis in the atlas actually serves to strengthen its educational utility as a neuroanatomy atlas, whether or not one plans to follow clinical neuroscience training. I would definitely add this book to my shelf.