# Encyclopedia of the Human Brain **Opening (not a real abstract):** The functions of the human brain are the last major challenge to science. Despite having made rapid strides in understanding the cosmos, subatomic particles, molecular biology, and genetics, we still know very little about the organ that made these discoveries possible. How does the activity of 100 billion nerve cellsFmere wisps of protoplasm that constitute the brainFgive rise to the broad spectrum of abilities that we call consciousness, mind, and human nature? There is now, more than ever before, a real need for a standard reference source covering all aspects of the human brain and nervous system, and the Encyclopedia of the Human Brain is the most up-to-date and comprehensive coverage to date. It is a compendium of articles contributed by many of the world’s leading experts in neuroscience and psychology. These essays