"For a hundred years, since Camillo Golgi developed an efficient method of studying brain tissue under the microscope, the specialized brain cells called neurons have been the de facto stars of neuroscience. With the capability for observing live electrical signals between neurons and their associated synapses, it has been assumed that neurons form the cellular wiring that houses the mind. Now, as researcher Fields illustrates in this fascinating overview of contemporary neuroscience, a new and equally vital team of costars in brain functionality is emerging: glial cells, or, simply, glia. Once deemed valuable only as 'packing material' or nutritional support for neurons, glia are being recognized for their critical role in everything from childhood learning to mental illness. In 16 absorbing and accessible chapters, Fields gives life to a potentially dry medical topic by eavesdropping on the work of other neuroscientists, past and present, and shows how penetrating glia's secrets offers hope for breakthroughs in healing Alzheimer's, brain tumors, and even spinal cord injuries."—Booklist