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This book provides a reference guide describing the current status of medication in all major psychiatric and neurological indications, together with comparisons of pharmacological treatment strategies in clinical settings in Europe, USA, Japan and China. In addition, it highlights herbal medicine as used in China and Japan, as well as complementary medicine and nutritional aspects. This novel approach offers international readers a global approach in a single dedicated publication and is also a valuable resource for anyone interested in comparing treatments for psychiatric disorders in three different cultural areas. There are three volumes devoted to Basic Principles and General Aspects, offering a general overview of psychopharmacotherapy (Vol. 1); Classes, Drugs and Special Aspects covering the role of psychotropic drugs in the field of psychiatry and neurology (Vol. 2) and Applied Psychopharmacotherapy focusing on applied psychopharmacotherapy (Vol. 3). These books are invaluable to psychiatrists, neurologists, neuroscientists, medical practitioners and clinical psychologists.

Atherosclerosis, the underlying cause of heart attacks, strokes and peripheral vascular disease, is one of the major killers in the world. By 2020 WHO statistics indicate that it will be the most common cause of morbidity and mortality in both the industrialised world and the underdeveloped world. The disease develops slowly over many years in the innermost layer of large and medium-sized arteries (Fig. 1) (Scott, 1995; Ross, 1999; Naumova and Scott, 2000; Glass and Witztum, 2001; Libby, 2001). It does not usually become manifest before the fourth of fifth decade, but then often strikes with devas­ tating suddenness. Fifty per cent of individuals still die (25 per cent immedi­ ately) from their first heart attack; and morbidity from coronary heart disease and stroke is very significant. The disease has a profound impact on health­ care services and on industrial economies. The lesions of atherosclerosis Autopsy studies show that in humans atherosclerosis begins in the first and second decade of life. A similar disease can be produced in experimental animals, where diet and genetics can be manipulated to produce identical lesions. The earliest lesions are fatty streaks. These consist of an accumulation of lipid-engorged macrophages (foam cells) and T and B lymphocytes in the arterial intima. With time, the fatty streaks progress to intermediate lesions, composed of foam cells and smooth muscle cells.

At this meeting, a number of critical groups confirmed and extended the original findings by J.A. Obeso and his colleagues. These authors found that continuous s.c. infusion of lisuride, a watersoluble dopaminergic 8- -aminoergoline with dopaminergic properties which can be injected or infused, can improve - sometimes quite considerably - motor function in severely disabled fluctuating Parkinsonian patients. The concurrent use of the peripheral dopamine antagonist domperidone attenuates or prevents side effects related to the stimulation of'peripheral'dopamine receptors, including the chemoreceptor trigger zone and some areas of the hypothalamus outside the blood-brain barrier. The clinical results discussed in this volume may not only be a basis for further improvements in our knowledge and therapeutic strategies in Parkinsonism, they point to the so far neglected importance of different ways of stimulating neurological or other systems, e.g. discontinous, oscillatory effects caused by frequent oral application vs. continuous stimulation as described here with the lisuride s.c. infusion. Similar concepts have to be discussed and investigated in neurological disorders. In this respect, this multidisciplinary meeting and its publication may offer new ideas and concepts for therapy in general, in addition to its potential application in the treatment of the complications of Parkinson's disease.

Die Neuropathologie hat sich dank ihrer engen Anlehnung an klinische Fragestellungen, ihrer klaren Diktion und der reichhaltigen Bebilderung rasch einen breiten Leserkreis unter neurologisch interessierten Ärzten und Pathologen erworben. Nach wie vor ist die Morphologie der Krankheiten des Nervensystems und der Skelettmuskulatur die Voraussetzung für das Verständnis der Pathogenese und die Basis der neurologischen, neurochirurgischen und -radiologischen Diagnostik; von gleichem Interesse aber auch für Psychiater und Neuropädiater in Klinik und Praxis. Die rasche Entwicklung der Molekulargenetik mit ihrer Konsequenz neuer Klassifikationen, differenzierter Diagnostik und Prognoseeinschätzung machte eine 3. Auflage notwendig. Einige neue Autoren mit speziellen Erfahrungen, z.B. auf dem Gebiet der Prionenerkrankungen, bürgen für die Aktualität der Darstellungen.

Zu den häufigsten Alterserkrankungen zählen heute die Parkinson'sche Erkrankung sowie Demenzen. Eine Reihe neuer Erkenntnisse der Grundlagenforschung sowie die Entwicklung neuer Neuro-Psychopharmaka für die genannten Indikationen machten eine Neubearbeitung des Bandes erforderlich. In den vergangenen zwei Jahren wurden unter den Parkinson-Mitteln neue Dopamin-Agonisten, COMT-Hemmer sowie NMDA-Antagonisten zugelassen. Zur Behandlung der Alzheimer-Demenz wurden Antidementiva (Cholinesterosehemmer) entwickelt, weitere medikamentöse Therapieeinsätze befinden sich im Stadium der klinischen Prüfung und werden ebenfalls dargestellt. In gewohnter Form illustrieren zahlreiche Tabellen und Abbildungen die einzelnen Parkinsonmittel und Antidementiva (Nootropika). In Übersichtstabellen finden Sie Einzelpräparate – farblich abgesetzt mit wichtigen praktisch-klinischen Angaben – zur raschen Information. Ergänzend widmen sich mehrere Exkurse speziellen Fragen wie z. B. der Therapie von Dystonien oder der Chorea Huntington. Mit Beiträgen von A. Andrich, E. Auff, H. Baas, G. Becker, T. Becker, S. Bleich, H. M. Brecht, W. Danielczyk, G. Deuschl, T. Dierks, O. Dietmaier, A. Enz, E. Fertl, P.-A. Fischer, L. Frölich, M. Gerlach, H. Hampel, U. Hegerl, A. Heidrich, H. Herrschaft, C. Hock, S. Hoyer, K. Jellinger, K. Jorga, W. Juretzek, S. Kanowski, J. Kornhuber, P. H. Kraus, W. Kuhn, B. Lack, K. W. Lange, G. Laux, K. Maurer, H.-J. Möller, Th. Müller, W. E. Müller, F. Müller-Spahn, M. Naumann, N. Nedopil, W. Oertel, W. Poewe, W. Pöldinger, H. Przuntek, H. Reichmann, W. Retz, P. Riederer, M. Rösler, E. Savaskan, E. Schneider, M. Streifler, O. Tucha, G. Ulm, H.-P. Volz, H. Wachtel, G. K. Wenning, J. Wiltfang, G. Zürcher.

As human longevity continues to be extended, so will the impact of age-associated dementia on individual lives and society. Alzheimer's disease as the most common cause of dementia in the elderly remains a sentinal problem and its underlying pathology is still poorly understood. Available therapeutic strategies require considerable refinement and the development of new therapeutic strategies need input from basic research. Thus continued efforts are necessary both to understand basic mechanisms of the condition and to achieve more powerfull therapies. This volume brings together the reports of basic scientists and clinical investigators. The chapters provide a spectrum of information valuable for clinicians and scientists. This issue bridges the gap between laboratory work in basic science and the development of urgently needed therapeutic strategies. Areas presented are the molecular and cellular biology of the disease, pathogenetic mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets, genetics, risk factors, strategies of prevention and treatment as well as practical aspects of medical and social care for patients with Alzheimer's disease.

Volume 5 of the series'Advances in Research on Neurodegeneration'is concerned with themes which are currently the focus of intensive research, and in which advances in our understanding of the pathological mechanisms un­ derlying neurodegenerative diseases are expected in the near future. The first section contains five reviews devoted to the various neuroimaging technolo­ gies. The discussion is concerned with the question of whether neuroimaging techniques make it possible to follow the process of degeneration as it occurs, and which methods offer the required sensitivity and quantifiability for this purpose. However, the question needs to be examined of whether, given the physical and chemical limitations of these techniques, even under optimal conditions, anatomical resolution can be improved to the extent that neuro­ degenerative diseases can be diagnosed earlier than currently possible and a confident diagnosis made. The possibilities of using neuroimaging techniques to provide information regarding the effects of neuroprotective or neuroregen­ erative therapeutic strategies, and for correlating the results of neuropsycho­ logical research with imaging data are also discussed. The second section is concerned with the significance of endogenous or exogenous neurotoxins as triggers for neurodegenerative processes that may lead to Parkinsonism. Vulnerability factors, which include such factors as nerve ending sensitivity, the synergistic effects of drugs and the various mechanisms underlying different toxins are discussed.

Die Vielfalt der hier vorgestellten Beiträge spiegelt das unermüdliche Bestreben aller in die Therapie von Parkinsonpatienten Involvierten wider, Lebensqualität und Wohlbefinden von chronisch Kranken und deren Angehörigen zu verbessern und diese komplexe Erkrankung auch vor dem Hintergrund von Begleiterkrankungen zu betrachten. Einerseits wird die Bedeutung vegetativer und sensorischer Störungen diskutiert, andererseits wird der Einfluss von Begleiterkrankungen und ausgeprägten Begleitsyndromen auf Therapie und Verlauf der Erkrankung vor dem Hintergrund persönlicher Erfahrungen vorgestellt. Diese Zusammenstellung bietet Erkenntnisse über mögliche Interaktionen, die im Rahmen der medikamentösen Kombinationstherapie zu beachten sind, sowie eine Bewertung der gängigen intensivmedizinischen Vorgehensweisen und der neu entwickelten Therapieverfahren wie der Tiefenhirnstimulation und eine Bewertung von Langzeitaspekten.

This wonderful, profusely illustrated book provides a concise and thoughtful review of all the important diseases of the child's brain. The lesions are well organized into logical categories that help the reader to remember the information conveyed. The important features of each entity are discussed thoroughly. Data from the literature are documented by selected references and are clearly distinguished from the authors'personal experience. The gross pathology of each disease is illustrated by well selected, high quality CT scans and supporting neuroradiological studies. Each caption begins with the relevant clinical data, so the reader understands the clinical context in which the study was obtained. The caption then describes the specific CT features of the case, so the reader learns to interpret the images correctly to arrive at the final diagnosis. By this technique, the authors provide the reader with a large experience in all aspects of pediatric cranial CT and teach him to distinguish properly among the diverse disease states. The authors must be congratulated for their excellence and their me­ ticulous attention to detail. They have written an important book that brings together the fields of pediatric neurology and pediatric cranial CT, enhancing both. This volume is a necessary addition to the personal and professional libraries of all physicians who care for children: pediatri­ cians, neurologists, neurosurgeons and radiologists. I feel I am a better physician for having read this text.

This book is being published as we mark the end of the first 50 years of the modern antidepressant era. This era began with the chance discovery that tri- clic antidepressants and monoamine oxidase inhibitors had antidepressant p- perties. That discovery had three consequences. First, it brought simple and effective treatment to patients suffering from major depressive illnesses. Second, these discoveries, together with the discovery of lithium and chlorpromazine, began the remedicalization of psychiatry by making it clear that the treatment of many of the major psychiatric illnesses can be approached in the same way as other medical conditions. However, the most far-reaching effect was to provide the first clue as to what mechanisms might underlie antidepressant efficacy, a development that has led to an explosion in the number of available an- depressants and to their widespread use. The goal of this book is to provide a thorough review of the current status of antidepressants—how we arrived at this point in their evolution and where we are going in both the near and the long term. The book employs both a scientific and historical approach to accomplish these goals. The book is intended for practitioners who use antidepressants on a daily basis in their practice as well as for the student and researcher. Each will find that the book provides a comprehensive and logical approach to this important group of medications. The importance of the book is a function of its topic.

With contributions by numerous experts

As in other volumes in the series, this newest volume conveys up-to-date knowledge in a clear and straightforward manner. It begins with a survey of the neurobiological functions of the brain, with the emphasis on Parkinson's disease. This is followed by a presentation of the role of dopamine in the regulation of human anterior pituitary function. The final two chapters concentrate on the dopamine receptors: first, the binding sites are characterized and the biochemical and physiological consequences of dopamine-receptor stimulation are discussed and, finally, there is a report on the topology of a dopamine-receptor model that can account comprehensively for agonists and antagonists.

Epidemiological studies, modern clinical, neuroimaging, neuropsychological, molecular biological, and genetic studies have considerably enhanced our knowledge about ageing processes of the human brain, its sequelae, diagnostic, and therapeutic possibilities and limits. In addition to Alzheimer's disease and other degenerative dementias, the impact of cerebrovascular lesions and their risk factors in the pathogenesis of cognitive disorders of the aged are increasingly acknowledged, and the recognition of mild cognitive impairment as a frequent initial stage of developing dementia is becoming an increasingly important diagnostic and therapeutic problem. The included papers were presented at the 7th International Symposium in Graz, Sept. 2001 and give a timely overview of the current and future concepts of pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment strategies of pathological brain ageing and dementias, early recognition of mild cognitive impairment and future possiblities of prevention of dementing processes.