>Dowling, J.E. (1992). Neurons and networks: An introduction to neuroscience.
>Cambridge, MS: Harvard University Press.
>
>Is anyone out there familiar with the work cited? Are there other studies
>supporting the neuronal loss figure? How much alcohol are we talking about
>and over what time period? How much lack of sleep?
>
Actually, Dowling isn't research at all but a neuroscience textbook. The
numbers of brain cells lost (as discussed in the text and your email) are
numbers that are fairly common within the neuroscience literature. Of
course, one must assume a lot (for example, equal loss throughout the
lifespan, etc) to derive these numbers. However, the literature on human
and infrahuman tend to say basically the same thing. One thing I'd differ
with the interpretation of is the loss of brain cells due to sleep loss and
alcohol. The concentrations of ethanol necessary to cause cell death
directly are way above what one could possibly consume. Much of the
literature suggesting "ethanolicide" are pretty bad studies
(scientifically) which confound diet, medical care, and ethanol use. etc. I
think that within normal limits one is relatively safe in saying there
isn't any direct evidence either way. The loss of brain cells due to sleep
deprivation is based (to my knowledge but it isn't my area) on several
lines of investigation none of which I am comfortable extending to humans
(or to "normal" amounts of sleep loss). Perhaps more balanced opening
presentations of this material are available in Kalat or Carlson (or any
good physiological psychology intro text). By the way, I wouldn't put
Dowiling's text on a recommended list myself. It is much too biased toward
clinical/medical and the network models of the brain. It isn't a bad book
for an introductory network course but seems a bit narrow in perspective to
give a good overview of the field as a first text. IMHO
Tim Shearon
_______________________________________________________
Timothy O. Shearon, PhD
Albertson College of Idaho
Department of Psychology
2112 Cleveland Blvd
Caldwell, Idaho
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
208-459-5840
