The third edition of The Neuron provides a comprehensive first course in the cell and molecular biology of nerve cells. The first part of the book covers the properties of the many ion channels that shape the way a single neuron generates varied patterns of electrical activity, as well as the molecular mechanisms that convert electrical activity into the secretion of neurotransmitter hormones at synaptic junctions between neurons. The second part covers the biochemical pathways that are linked to the action of neurotransmitters and can alter the cellular properties of neurons or sensory cells that transduce information from the outside world into the electrical code used by neurons. The final section reviews our rapidly expanding knowledge of the molecular factors that induce an undifferentiated cell to become a neuron, and then guide it to form appropriate synaptic connections with its partners. This section also focuses on the role of ongoing experience and activity in shaping these connections, and finishes with an account of mechanisms thought to underlie the phenomena of learning and memory.

There is one weird quality about the book, however: the authors have not directly referenced statements in the book, as you would expect to find in any good advanced textbook in a scholarly field. They have instead written a bibliography at the very end, consisting of "Recommended Reading" and "References" for each chapter. I am unsure what criteria they used to differentiate the two.

Other than this minor point however, it's a first rate buy. The authors deserve several pats on their backs.

11 of 12 found the following review helpful:


Great book on all levels  Nov 16, 2000
"The Neuron" was a fantastic book to read. It served as a perfect mesh between a textbook and a novel. The book was written in plain english so anyone could enjoy it. The concepts discussed ranged from elementary to advanced which provided a nice progression to more complicated things. This book is a must read for anyone interested in neuroscience.

3 of 3 found the following review helpful:


Great book for my cellular biology of the nervous system class  May 30, 2009 By Christina Perl.
Excellent textbook, explains very well the terms it presents while on the same time is a very easy to read book. It seemed much easier for me to read and comprehend what we learned in class with "the Neuron" in comparison to our designated textbook, which was also very good but less enjoyable.

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