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This new book extensively explores a range of topics related to astrocyte-neuron interactions under multiple conditions, in both health and disease. These include the types of interactions that occur during development and the establishment of neuronal circuits that underlie learning and memory formation in various animal models as well as humans. Furthermore, the book addresses topics on how these interactions go awry in disease and injury. In addition, the authors propose inspiring new avenues to explore therapeutic approaches using astrocytes as targets. A cadre of international experts presents a broad range of views on the state-of-the-art of astrocyte-neuron interactions.

This new volume documents the transition from the development of electrochemical monitoring of brain function, now more than 40 years old, to fundamental neuroscience. This includes the links of molecular neuroscience to biobehavior, to a molecular understanding of neurologically-linked diseases and to the investigation of neuroactive molecules made possible by new detection methodology. This work should be of interest to a broad audience, especially those who are engaged in neuroscience research, for example in drug discovery, but are not familiar with electrochemical methodology.

Neurodegeneration is one of the most important subjects of the investigation now and in the coming 21st century. Alzheimer's disease is the leading cause of dementia in the elderly people and Parkinson's disease is one of the major neurologic disorders with the prevalence between 1 and 2/1 000 population in advanced countries. Many others are suffering from intractable neurodegener­ ative disorders such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Huntington's disease, or spinocerebellar degeneration. No truly effective treatment is available for any of these neurodegenerative disorders except for Parkinson's disease; even in Parkinson's disease, still it is impossible to slow down the disease process with the currently available treatment. It is urgently needed to develop new effective technique to halt or slow down the disease process in each of those disorders. Recent advance in the molecular biological and molecular genetic technique has brought us great progress in the understanding of etiology and pathogenesis of these disorders, but still it is not known how neurons are going to die in these disorders. To explore the question, mutual cooperation and exchange of ideas between basic scientists and clinical peoples are of utmost importance.

Neuronal nicotinic receptors are key molecules for signal transduction in a number of neuronal pathways. They are widely distributed in the brain and are known to be involved in cognitive tasks, including learning and memory, in smoking addiction and in several brain diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's dementias, schizophrenia, and epilepsy. This book provides a comprehensive review of the field, starting with a historical perspective and dealing with the molecular structure of these receptors, their biophysical and pharmacological properties, their distribution in central and peripheral nervous systems, and their major involvement in brain functions. Particular emphasis is paid to drugs (both new and old) that are useful in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases involving neuronal nicotinic receptors. Finally, the relevance of these receptors in smoking addiction is carefully evaluated, together with future trends and the latest results.

The Basal Ganglia comprise a group of forebrain nuclei that are interconnected with the cerebral cortex, thalamus and brainstem. Basal ganglia circuits are involved in various functions, including motor control and learning, sensorimotor integration, reward and cognition. The importance of these nuclei for normal brain function and behavior is emphasized by the numerous and diverse disorders associated with basal ganglia dysfunction, including Parkinson's disease, Tourette's syndrome, Huntington's disease, obsessive-compulsive disorder, dystonia, and psychostimulant addiction. The Handbook of Basal Ganglia provides a comprehensive overview of the structural and functional organization of the basal ganglia, with special emphasis on the progress achieved over the last 10-15 years. Organized in six parts, the volume describes the general anatomical organization and provides a review of the evolution of the basal ganglia, followed by detailed accounts of recent advances in anatomy, cellular/molecular, and cellular/physiological mechanisms, and our understanding of the behavioral and clinical aspects of basal ganglia function and dysfunction. - Synthesizes widely dispersed information on the behavioral neurobiology of the basal ganglia, including advances in the understanding of anatomy, cell-molecular and cell-physiological mechanisms, and behavioral/clinical aspects of function and dysfunction - Features a truly international cast of the preeminent researchers in the field - Fully explores the clinically relevant impact of the basal ganglia on various psychiatric and neurological diseases

Astrocytes were the original neuroglia that Ramón y Cajal visualized in 1913 using a gold sublimate stain. This stain targeted intermediate filaments that we now know consist mainly of glial fibrillary acidic protein, a protein used today as an astrocytic marker. Cajal described the morphological diversity of these cells with some ast- cytes surrounding neurons, while the others are intimately associated with vasculature. We start the book by discussing the heterogeneity of astrocytes using contemporary tools and by calling into question the assumption by classical neuroscience that neurons and glia are derived from distinct pools of progenitor cells. Astrocytes have long been neglected as active participants in intercellular communication and information processing in the central nervous system, in part due to their lack of electrical excitability. The follow up chapters review the “nuts and bolts” of ast- cytic physiology; astrocytes possess a diverse assortment of ion channels, neu- transmitter receptors, and transport mechanisms that enable the astrocytes to respond to many of the same signals that act on neurons. Since astrocytes can detect chemical transmitters that are released from neurons and can release their own extracellular signals there is an increasing awareness that they play physiological roles in regulating neuronal activity and synaptic transmission. In addition to these physiological roles, it is becoming increasingly recognized that astrocytes play critical roles during pathophysiological states of the nervous system; these states include gliomas, Alexander disease, and epilepsy to mention a few.

The Handbook is intended to be a service to the neuroscience community, to help in finding available and useful information, to point out gaps in our knowledge, and to encourage continued studies. It represents the valuable contributions of the many authors of the chapters and the guidance of the editors and most important, it represents support for research in this discipline. Based on the rapid advances in the years since the second edition

The Handbook is intended to be a service to the neuroscience community, to help in finding available and useful information, to point out gaps in our knowledge, and to encourage continued studies. It represents the valuable contributions of the many authors of the chapters and the guidance of the editors and most important, it represents support for research in this discipline. Based on the rapid advances in the years since the second edition.

Stroke is a global health problem affecting approximately 15 million people annually in the world and about 700,000 in the United States. It is the third leading cause of death and the most common cause of disability in most developed countries. Acute Ischemic Injury and Repair in the Nervous System is intended to provide the most up-to-date knowledge of the mechanisms of neuronal death and repair after stroke. It is our belief that this volume of the Handbook of Neurochemistry and Molecular Neurobiology provides an excellent review of the tremendous advances of the past decades in the neurochemical and molecular biological aspects of cerebral ischemia. It is hoped that these advances will provide an impetus for basic scientists and clinicians to further their translational research and to promote the insights for development of therapeutic interventions for stroke.

Utilizing a homeostatic approach incorporating medical practice, teaching, and research, this interdisciplinary reference fully examines the function and dysfunction of the body's autonomic systems to treat and promote better understanding of a variety of neurocardiological disorders. Highlights the roles of catecholamines, norepinephrine, epinephrine, and dopamine in autonomic systems! Ideally suited for both clinical and research purposes, The Autonomic Nervous System in Health and Diseaseintroduces a homeostat theory integrating cybernetic views of stress with principles of operation for effector systems documents historical breakthroughs defining neurocardiology as a discipline in medicine provides conceptual perspectives such as the homeostat theory of stress, defining characteristics of stress and distress, and the sources and meanings of plasma levels of catechols reviews the physiology of the autonomic nervous system, including the cranial and sacral divisions of parasympathetic system, the sympathetic nervous and the adrenomedullary hormonal systems, and the homeostatic roles of catecholamine functions surveys the interactions and responses of stress effector systems such as the pituitary-adrenocortical, the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone, endogenous opioid, and vasopressin systems, as well as the parasympathetic, sympathetic, and adrenomedullary systems presents a schema for evaluating patients with neurocardiological disorders discusses future trends in medical research and integrative medicine, including redirection of molecular genetics and integrative physiology to focus on mechanisms of adult health and disease and much more!Written by a single expert in the field to provide better cohesion on the subject, and supplemented with over 1900 literature references and over 100 figures and tables, The Autonomic Nervous System in Health and Disease is an invaluable and comprehensive resource for clinical neurologists and neurocardiologists, neuroscientists, physiatrists, and neurochemists; cardiologists and internists; physiologists, biochemists, endocrinologists, and pharmacologists; psychiatrists and psychologists; medical house officers, residents, and interns; and medical and graduate school students in these disciplines.