The Great Balancing ACT - by Jeffrey D Sharon (Hardcover)

About the Book

Combining neuroscience, history, and medicine, Jeffrey D. Sharon--a vestibular doctor and researcher--explains the sense of balance using accessible language and wry humor.

Book Synopsis

What's the secret to keeping your balance? The ear does more than hear: it helps us stay stable by perceiving movements and gravity. Elegant sensors deep within the skull detect every twist, turn, and tumble, powering swift reflexes that keep vision and balance steady. This is the vestibular system. It's primordial and ubiquitous: every animal has one, and even plants have a rudimentary version. It works so well that we take it for granted--until it fails. How does this remarkable system function? What happens when it goes haywire? How can modern medicine treat vestibular disease?

The Great Balancing Act tells the story of the vestibular system, from T. rex hearing organs to cochlear implants, and from the unsung power of hair cells to inner-ear problems in outer space. Combining neuroscience, history, and medicine, Jeffrey D. Sharon--a vestibular doctor and researcher--explains the sense of balance using accessible language and wry humor. He recounts how pioneering scientists solved the mysteries of the vestibular system and shows why it is necessary for spatial reasoning and abstract thought. Sharon explores the devastating consequences of vestibular problems such as vertigo, dizziness, and imbalance, offering an expert, patient-friendly look at emerging and future treatments. Engaging and entertaining, this book invites readers to discover a little-known yet vital part of ourselves.

Review Quotes

How does the vestibular system integrate a barrage of sensory information to enable animals to navigate the world? In 'The Great Balancing Act, ' Jeffrey Sharon addresses these and other questions about this elegant sensory system that helps regulate proprioception and spatial reasoning. Sharon discusses how the vestibular system evolved and how it interacts with brain areas that process vision, abstract thought and memory. He ends the book on a forward-looking note, explaining how insights from basic neuroscience are propelling exciting advances in prosthetic implants and gene therapies to help rebuild cellular structures in diseased vestibular systems.-- "The Transmitter"

Sharon has written a thoughtful, engaging, and highly informative book on the vestibular system. He has achieved a brilliant balance between providing a high-level overview and an understandable description of the physiology of the system and the pathologies affecting its function. This book will be of interest and importance to all who desire an overview of the vestibular system as well as to patients who suffer from vestibular disorders.--Lloyd Minor, Carl and Elizabeth Naumann Dean of the School of Medicine, vice president for medical affairs, Stanford University

Sharon's The Great Balancing Act is an enlightening and engaging exploration of the human vestibular system--an essential yet often overlooked component of our daily lives. Sharon instills a sense of wonder about the intricate anatomy and function of this system, making it clear why he is a true vestibular enthusiast. With its compelling narrative, rich historical context, and scientifically rigorous yet accessible explanations, The Great Balancing Act is a must-read.--Cynthia Ryan, executive director, Vestibular Disorders Association

About the Author

Jeffrey D. Sharon is the director of the Balance and Falls Center and an associate professor in the Otology, Neurotology, and Skull Base Surgery Division at the University of California, San Francisco.