Rethinking the Brain: Exploring its Capabilities and How Much We Really Need - Softcover

Über die Autorinnen und Autoren

Dr Jenny Barnett is a neuroscientist and psychologist interested in the genetic and environmental causes of brain health and mental illness. Having trained at Oxford, Cambridge and Harvard universities, Jenny has authored more than 50 scientific publications on topics ranging from new treatments for schizophrenia to the economic impact of dementia. She now works at the intersection of academic and industrial research, designing new technologies to help detect, diagnose and treat brain disorders. Her first book, Growing Up Happy, with Alexia Barrable, was published by Robinson in 2016.

Dr Alexis Willett is a science communicator who aims to make science accessible to all. She has a PhD in biomedical science from the University of Cambridge, where she studied at the Medical Research Council's Human Nutrition Research unit. She's taught human physiology and published on a wide range of health subjects. Alexis spends much of her time turning cutting-edge research and health policy jargon into something meaningful for the public, patients, doctors and policy makers. In her spare time, Alexis drinks a lot of rooibos tea.

Her first book, How Much Brain Do We Really Need?, with Jennifer Barnett, was published by Robinson in December 2017.

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Your brain is shrinking. Does it matter?

Rethinking the Brain challenges us to explore how much brain we really need. Rather than just concentrating on the many wonderful things it can do, this entertaining insight into the complexities and contradictions of the human brain asks whether in fact we can live satisfactorily without some of it.

The bad news is that our brains start to shrink from our mid-thirties. But the good news is that we still seem to generally muddle along and our brain is able to adapt in extraordinary ways when things go wrong.

Alexis Willett and Jennifer Barnett shed light on what the human brain can do - in both optimal and suboptimal conditions - and consider what it can manage without. Through fascinating facts and figures, case studies and hypothetical scenarios, expert interviews and scientific principles, they take us on a journey from the ancient mists of time to the far reaches of the future, via different species and lands.

Is brain training the key to healthy ageing? Do women really experience 'baby brain'? Is our brain at its evolutionary peak or do we have an even more brilliant future to look forward to? We discover the answers to these questions and more.

Alexis Willett, PhD is a science communicator and specialist in biomedical science who spends much of her time turning cutting-edge research and health policy jargon into something meaningful for patients, doctors, policy makers and the public.

Jennifer Barnett, PhD is a neuroscientist, psychologist and author working at the intersection of academic and industrial research into brain health and mental illness; designing new technologies to help detect, diagnose and treat brain disorders.