Synaptic Self: How Our Brains Become Who We Are

Synaptic Self: How Our Brains Become Who We Are

By: Joseph LeDoux  

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Average Customer Rating: 4.5 out of 5

LeDoux believes the answer rests in the synapses, key players in the brain's intricately designed communication system. In other words, the pathways by which a person's "hardwired" responses (nature) mesh with his or her unique life experiences (nurture) determine that person's individuality. Here, LeDoux nimbly compresses centuries of philosophy, psychology, and biology into an amazingly clear picture of humanity's journey toward understanding the self.

Equally readable is his comprehensive science lesson, where detailed circuit speak reads like an absorbing--yet often humorous--mystery novel. Skillfully presenting research studies and findings alongside their various implications, LeDoux makes a solid case for accepting a synaptic explanation of existence and provides to the reader generous helpings of knowledge, amusement, and awe along the way. --Liane Thomas

Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics)

Release Date: 2003-01-28

Customer Review: 5 out of 5
Not simply brilliant but intricately brilliant... - How can you be simple in such an extremely complicated world?You cant...
Synthesis is complicated that s the nature of understanding.The very nature of our existence is complicated so complicated in fact, our own imagination cannot figure it out yet...
Does anyone here understands the infinity of space?I don't...
Philip Bromberg's brilliant book "standing in the spaces"
arrives at some of the same conclusions
but from an interpersonal psychoanalytic point of view.
Two authors,two different perspectives and yet
one understanding of human nature,
pretty fascinating I d say...
Not easy to read so you need to be persistent.
Amazing, brilliant work from Joseph Ledoux...period

Customer Review: 4 out of 5
We are probably our synapses - This is only one of a few books that has as its goal the explanation of personality and selfhood in terms of brain processes and brain chemistry. We are of course fortunate that this author and others have taken on this goal, as the philosophers have dominated work on this problem throughout the last three centuries. But philosophers have not offered too many useful insights in this area, but instead offer mere rhetorical narratives that do not assist in giving a constructive view of the mind/brain in a way that is helpful in the understanding of how the self comes about and how it can sometimes disintegrate. But if one is going to treat individuals who suffer from this disintegration, or some other maladjustment such as phobias or panic attacks, a more in-depth understanding is required. Indeed, the use of pharmacological intervention to resolve these difficulties definitely needs more than just a debate on the mind-body problem: it needs a working, constructive model of the brain, the obtaining of which is a formidable undertaking, as a study of this book reveals.

How patterns of neuronal synapses give rise to the self is the subject of the last subject of the chapter, and as expected, this chapter reveals a lot about the author's confidence in what he is presenting to the reader. He understands and admits (very early on in the book) that much remains to be known before a full answer is obtained. Before getting to this finale he takes the reader through a very interesting overview of many different topics in neuroscience, such as the ubiquitous `neuronal plasticity' and touches on the origin of consciousness, the latter topic of which is only just beginning to be classified as `real science.' All of these discussions are fascinating, particularly to those like this reviewer who are not experts in neuroscience but who desire to understand the current status of research in brain science as applied to questions not traditionally tackled by neuroscientists.

Readers with a background or interest in artificial intelligence will also find many topics of interest in this book, such as the role of domain-specific systems in the brain, how the brain constructs an interpretive framework, how it integrates different features of visual stimuli, and how decision-making occurs (the role of the executive functions). The ability of non-human machines to engage in `domain-general' and not just `domain-specific' reasoning is of great interest in the field of artificial intelligence and this book gives some insight into how human and animal brains are able to do this. It is interesting in this regard to learn that the author believes that such a domain-general or general-purpose system in the human brain depends greatly on long-term memory. This is really not surprising to hear of course, since domain-general reasoning requires the ability to integrate information from disparate sources and make comparisons to what is known. It would have been very interesting if the author had carried through this discussion to one that elaborated on the origin of curiosity in the human brain. Not much is known about this, and is again a topic of great interest to those researchers who are attempting to create non-human machines that exhibit curiosity.

As in most studies to date, information on how the brain works is derived from brains that are malfunctioning in some way, due to lesions or accidents, or from genetic factors. The author gives detailed discussion on the research that has been done in understanding the neuronal processes behind anxiety and mental disorders such as schizophrenia. Genetic factors due play a role he believes, but this role is more of a "bias" than a full-fledged determinism. Pharmacological intervention is discussed in this context also, with one interesting example being that of the ability of antidepressant medication to enhance synaptic plasticity.

To reiterate, there is much to be learned before one can say definitively that "we are our synapses", to paraphrase the author. But his book gives an excellent introduction to what kind of research is being done to substantiate this claim. With so much being done in neuroscience today, and with its impact being felt in new areas of research called `neuroethics' and `neuroeconomics', one can expect an exciting road ahead, and eagerly anticipate the author's next book.

Customer Review: 4 out of 5
Interesting - This book certainly causes you to think, but not exactly what I had expected. I was about a quarter of the way through it and have put it aside for a while. It might be a while before I pick it up again.

Customer Review: 4 out of 5
The synapse may define who we are - This book is a deep academic writings about the synaptic connections in the brain. The author shares an extensive research on fear and the structures of the brain that are involved. Not anybody can pick up this book and understand many details in this book. You do have to have a background in neuroscience to understand the complexities associated with this book. But, it is very informative to everyone that enjoys neuroscience.

Customer Review: 4 out of 5
Synaptic Self: Good Neuroscience Book, But Not The Best - As part of a class assignment for an introductory neuroscience class, I was required to read reviews of neuroscience books written by my classmates. Two of the reviews that I read impressed me to the point that I was prompted to the read the books; the first was VS Ramachandran's Phantoms of the Brain and the second was Joseph LeDoux's Synaptic Self. Reading these reviews by my classmates proved to be a valuable experience as I found both books to be extremely good reads. If I had to choose between the two, I would recommend Phantoms of the Brain as it is more accessible to the average reader, but Synaptic Self is a worthwhile read for those who can navigate through the text.

The main focus of the text concerns the theory that synaptic connections are the keys that make us who we are. Many understand that elements of the mind, thought processes, and personality originate in the brain but it is difficult to describe the neurological origin of selfhood. LeDoux proposes a new theory that claims experience shapes neurology and neurology shapes experience. He unites the concepts of the role of memory in selfhood and the role of synapse firing in brain interactions to create a unified theory connecting synapses to our sense of self. The most important element in this context is the synapse, which serves to trigger brain functions and convey information. Synaptic connections are plastic, shaped by a person's experiences and interactions. Subsequently these plastic connections give rise to unique thoughts and feelings. Memory is the result of synaptic activity as well, which helps to establish personality and a sense of self.

LeDoux begins the text with an anatomy lesson explaining what neurons are, what synapses are and how they connect neurons, and how these connections contribute to brain functions. He then moves to the discussion of nature vs. nurture. He gives his opinion on how nature and nurture come together to combine to shape the synaptic organization of the brain. Elaborating on this process he says neurons that fire together wire together suggesting that experiences shape the organization of neurons and the changes in organization serve to alter future experiences. LeDoux stresses throughout the text the importance of learning and memory with respect to the formation of the self because as he says, "without learning and memory the self would be an empty expression of genetic constitution".

The book continues with LeDoux explaining how neuronal circuits can change based upon what is learned and remembered with synaptic activity playing a large role in this transformation. He goes on to explore how various brain systems including thinking, emotion and motivation interact with each other to determine who we are. He also goes on to look at the ability of his theory to aid in the understanding and treatment of several mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, depression and anxiety disorders.

The organization of the text is helpful in the understanding of LeDoux's theories as the concepts flow nicely from one to the next. It is very well written, although at times it can be a bit difficult to understand for those less familiar with neuroscience. Overall, the book is mostly accessible with the few advanced sections not detracting from the overall essence of his work. For reader's that are looking for a good book to get an introduction into the subject this may not be the best choice because the language may be frustrating at times. This seems to be a mid-level read with respect to difficulty level. However, for those that can handle it the text will not disappoint; it is engaging and thought provoking the whole way through. LeDoux writes like a scientist in that he stays fairly close to his working thesis for the duration of the text and mainly sticks to the points that serve to enhance his arguments. The text has little entertainment value for those not interested in the facts and theories he presents, but for those that dream of neuroscience at night and whose eyes light up at the sound of the word neuron, this will certainly be a worthwhile read.

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