This book provides a comprehensive review of the works in the rapidly evolving field of neural networks and brain studies. Its purpose is two-fold: to help physicists entering this field to get a broader view of the context of a domain, as well as to help scientists of other disciplines to reach a better understanding of the physicists' contributions within a context of perspectives they can relate to. Included in the volume are 68 selected reprints to provide the volume with both breadth and depth. It is organized into 5 sections and 22 chapters, both the sections and chapters being preceded by introductory comments by the editors.