Kandel's Science and Philosophy—This Book Ought to Aplysia (a Please Ya)

Book review of Psychiatry, Psychoanalysis, and the New Biology of Mind, by Eric R. Kandel (see record 2005-05732-000). The reviewer notes that Eric Kandel, the first American psychiatrist to win the Nobel Prize, is passionate about his desire to understand the biology of complex human behavior. This excellent book provides the reader with insight into the evolution of Kandel's thinking at different stages of his career. From the beginning of his training, he has held the strong belief that by combining the power of basic research with insights gained from psychoanalytic thinking, one can make true progress in understanding the human mind and psychiatric illnesses. He believes that research involving simple systems such as Aplysia (the marine snail) can provide insights into the mysteries of highly sophisticated intellectual processes involved in memory and learning. Psychiatry, Psychoanalysis, and the New Biology of Mind has a unique and effective structure. Eight previously published articles make up the heart of this book: seven by Kandel and one reviewing the field of neuroscience authored by Kandel, Thomas Albright, Thomas Jessell, and Michael Posner. Some of the articles Kandel has chosen to include in this book primarily address the importance of integrating brain science with clinical educational philosophy. In these chapters, the basic sciences are presented to demonstrate the importance of neurobiology to clinical psychiatric training. All of the chapters are introduced by commentaries written by current leaders in psychiatric research and education. The book ends with an afterword by Kandel that is crisp and inspiring. This book should facilitate an excitement about understanding brain and behavior. College students, residents, and graduate students would all benefit from reading and discussing Kandel's ideas. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)