With an ever-increasing elderly population and the resultant rising levels of dementia-related disorders, preclinical research based on animal models is pivotal to our knowledge of underlying molecular mechanisms and drug discovery aiming at the development of therapeutic strategies alleviating or preventing the neurological devastation. In Animal Models of Dementia, expert researchers provide contributions that stress the importance of extensively validated animal models in drug discovery and development in order to predict clinical activity. Beginning with general aspects of animal modeling, related ethical issues, and essential methodological considerations, the highly detailed volume then continues with various levels of model validation, including pathological, behavioral, neurochemical, pharmacological, and imaging aspects, followed by sections focused on specific disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, metachromatic leukodystrophy and adrenoleukodystrophy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, frontotemporal dementia as well as vascular dementia and more. As a volume in the renowned Neuromethods series, this book offers a detailed, yet accessible, overview of currently available animal models in the field of dementia research, and touches, as well, upon more general areas linked to the development and use of animal models. Comprehensive and efficient, Animal Models of Dementia will significantly aid both experienced animal researchers as well as investigators on the verge of beginning animal model-based dementia research.

The development of treatment strategies that can help patients with spinal cord injury to regain lost functions and an improved quality of life is a major medical challenge, and experimental spinal cord research has to meet these challenges by resolving fundamental problems, establishing a basis for possible novel treatment strategies of spinal cord injury, and motivating their clinical translation. In Animal Models of Spinal Cord Repair, expert researchers examine a broad range of experimental models for research on spinal cord injury, how they have contributed to our current state of knowledge, and what their advantages are in the further advancement of spinal cord repair. With models from simple lamprey to non-human primates, the information presented is intended to guide the implementation of animal models for spinal cord repair as well as to raise the awareness of the relevance of experimental models which may not be in the current mainstream of this research. As a part of the Neuromethods series, this work contains the kind of detailed description and implementation advice to guarantee successful results in the laboratory. Comprehensive and cutting-edge, Animal Models of Spinal Cord Repair presents the background information and hands-on methods descriptions, as well as the basic and clinical issues, needed to stimulate and guide researchers with different backgrounds towards the development of improved strategies for functionally relevant repair of the injured human spinal cord.

Movement is the way that animals interact with their environment and is under the organization and complex control of the brain and spinal cord. Multiple central nervous systems, including cortex, basal ganglia, cerebellum, and brainstem, interact to provide precise motor control and integration. Damage or disease within these systems cause profound motor disturbances in man, which can be effectively modeled in animals to develop a better understanding and treatment of the human condition. Animal Models of Movement Disorders introduces a variety of methods and techniques used to model and assess motor function in experimental animals from lower orders, such as drosophila and c. elegans, through vertebrate species including fish, to mammals, such as rodents and non-human primates. The most advanced contemporary models in each system are presented at multiple levels of analysis from molecular and genetic modeling, lesions, anatomy, neurochemistry, to imaging and behavior. Volume II of this detailed collection contains sections on the basal ganglia, neo- and allo-cortical systems, cerebellar and brain stem systems, as well as spinal cord systems. Comprehensive and meticulous, Animal Models of Movement Disorders serves as a valuable reference for those studying motor disorders by covering methodologies in detail and providing the information necessary to consider both the appropriate models and assessment tools that can most informatively answer the key experimental issues in the field.

Affecting over a hundred million individuals worldwide, retinal diseases are among the leading causes of irreversible visual impairment and blindness, and appropriate study models, especially animal models, are essential to furthering our understanding of the etiology, pathology, and progression of these endemic diseases. In Animal Models for Retinal Diseases, recognized experts in the field highlight valuable techniques as well as animal models for the prominent retinal diseases in order to aid in the evaluation, development, and improvement of therapeutic strategies. Beginning with an overview of the morphology of the retina, visual behavior, and genetics and genomics approaches for retinal research, the book continues by covering animal models for the research of specific human retinal diseases, e.g., retinal degeneration, age-related macular degeneration, retinopathy of prematurity, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, retinal ischemia, and retinal inflammation. As a volume in the successful Neuromethods series, the chapters provide authoritative reviews of the most commonly used approaches in the field. Vital and easy to use, Animal Models for Retinal Diseases serves to support the important future research of ocular investigators, ophthalmologists, and neuroscientists currently delving into this fascinating field of study.

With the loss of work days, the price of health care and payments for compensation, litigation, and malpractice, and the overwhelming cost of human suffering, chronic pain syndromes affect humanity enormously on both an economic and personal level. In Animal Models of Pain, expert investigators in the field provide a consolidated review of the current state of pain research by capturing the diversity of animal models that are used to investigate pain mechanisms, which range from surgical incision to mechanical compression and from spinal cord injury to cutaneous/local inflammation and beyond. As a volume in the respected Neuromethods series, this book delivers its vital content through detailed descriptions of a wide variety of step-by-step laboratory methods. Authoritative and cutting-edge, Animal Models of Pain seeks to lead scientists closer to the ultimate goal of improving the quality of life and relieving the unbearable burden of chronic pain for millions of people throughout the world.

Animal models of schizophrenia and other major psychiatric disorders have been sought for decades, and, as a result, we are now facing new vistas on pathophysiology that could lead to novel therapeutic approaches and even hint at possible preventive strategies. Animal Models of Schizophrenia and Related Disorders presents an overview of the information that can be obtained with several different models and a detailed account of how to generate such models in order to ensure that the manipulations used to model schizophrenia-relevant phenomena are used consistently across laboratories. This detailed volume features pharmacological models such as non-competing NMDA antagonists, emphasizing their use in vitro, neurodevelopmental models such as the neonatal ventral hippocampal lesion and the antimitotic MAM, models that reproduce environmental factors such as neonatal hypoxia, vitamin D deficits, and prenatal immune activation, as well as several different genetic model approaches. As a volume in the Neuromethods series, this volume contains the kind of detailed description and implementation advice that is crucial for getting optimal results. Practical and cutting-edge, Animal Models of Schizophrenia and Related Disorders highlights the successes in the use of animal models to gain insight on pathophysiological mechanisms of relevance to major psychiatric disorders in the hope of inspiring investigators to expand the research and test targets that could restore or ameliorate function.

As a model organism, zebrafish (Danio rerio) offer an opportunity to perform steadfast scientific investigations in a robust and high-throughput manner. In Zebrafish Neurobehavioral Protocols, experts in the field provide a series of detailed behavioral protocols dealing with the major current research areas in the field of behavioral neuroscience. The chapters discuss the use and interpretation of video-aided quantification of zebrafish behaviors, describe novel assays commonly used to quantify emotionality, learning, memory, and social behaviors in zebrafish, and instruct how to quantify endocrine responses and correlate them with behavior. Written in the Neuromethods series format, the chapters provide authoritative reviews of many commonly used approaches in the field today. This "how to" book will be a useful practical guide for zebrafish researchers and will complement another related book from this series, Zebrafish Models in Neurobehavioral Research. Cutting-edge and timely, Zebrafish Neurobehavioral Protocols serves as an excellent compilation epitomizing the growing potential of zebrafish in modern scientific inquiry.

The growth of the field of eating disorder research has led to a vast array of empirical articles, and the development of new animal models that can be used to study these disorders continues to stimulate new research. Animal Models of Eating Disorders serves as a collection of detailed techniques contributed by experts in the field who are well-versed in the development and implementation of these models. Since eating disorders are complex and likely due to a combination of environmental, genetic, and social causes, the detailed chapters of this volume have been designed to highlight different contributing factors. Collectively, these chapters give a comprehensive and representative overview of both recently developed and classic methodologies used in the study of eating disorders. Written for the popular Neuromethods series, this work contains the kind of thorough description and implementation advice that promises successful results. Authoritative and practical, Animal Models of Eating Disorders aims to aid researchers in the use of animal models to assist in their investigation and characterization of the behaviors and neurochemical alterations associated with these devastating disorders.

Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging represents a technique that is indispensable in every day biomedical diagnostics. Thanks to the numerous ways to manipulate and detect an NMR signal, it is possible to obtain a variety of information with excellent spatial and temporal resolution. Today's MRI techniques go far beyond the illustration of pure anatomical structures and include the revealing of processes down to the molecular level. The number of small animal imaging centers relying on MRI as a key method for preclinical research to understand diseases and to test for novel treatments is growing rapidly. In Vivo NMR Imaging: Methods and Protocols is written as an experimental laboratory text to provide a descriptive approach of the various applications of magnetic resonance imaging and its underlying principles. Starting from a compact introduction of basic NMR physics and image encoding techniques suitable for a broad audience in the life sciences, the concept focuses on addressing the many ways of generating contrast in MR images. The authors cover an interdisciplinary range of problems to be addressed by this non-invasive modality, including study protocols for addressing morphological, physiological, functional, and biochemical aspects of various tissues in living organisms. Information about practical aspects of designing experimental studies that follow the special conditions for micro imaging setups are also provided. Written in the successful Methods in Molecular Biology (TM) series format, In Vivo NMR Imaging: Methods and Protocols aims to be an experimental compendium of modern in vivo MR imaging with special focus on recent developments in molecular imaging and new protocols for imaging metabolism and molecular markers.

As the presence of genetically modified animal models in research laboratories has multiplied, the role of genetic factors in the pathogenesis of brain disorders has become particularly important. The refinement of molecular genetic methods has continued to broaden our understanding of the genetic factors associated with a variety of disorders. In "Transgenic and Mutant Tools to Model Brain Disorders", leading scientists specializing in this field contribute a timely collection of recent advances featuring a vast array of topics in order to contribute to the diverse approaches taken toward the evaluation of genetically modified models in biomedical research. Opening with several chapters covering general aspects of genetically modified animal models, the book then continues with detailed chapters on models of specific human brain disorders, including OCD, Rett Syndrome, anxiety disorders, depression, and schizophrenia. As a volume in the successful Neuromethods (TM) series, the chapters provide authoritative reviews covering the most commonly used approaches in the field. Cutting-edge and concise, "Transgenic and Mutant Tools to Model Brain Disorders" offers a comprehensive and descriptive overview on a variety of topics in neuroscience and biological psychiatry.

Animal models have traditionally played a crucial role in improving our understanding of brain pathogenesis. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) have generated considerable discoveries in the areas of genetics, embryology, endocrinology, and neuroscience. Zebrafish Models in Neurobehavioral Research emphasizes the growing importance of zebrafish in neurobehavioral research and portrays an extensive, thorough perspective on the emergence of zebrafish as robust and translational models. Written by leading international experts, the book covers major topics ranging from stress to learned recognition of environment, encompassing a wide spectrum of the utility of zebrafish within neurobiological disciplines. The chapters provide authoritative reviews of many zebrafish paradigms commonly used in the field today. This book will be a useful guide for zebrafish researchers, and will complement another related book from the popular Neuromethods series, Zebrafish Neurobehavioral Protocols. Comprehensive and up-to-date, Zebrafish Models in Neurobehavioral Research serves as an ideal resource for scientists new to the field as well as for established researchers seeking valuable insight into the growing utility of zebrafish in neuroscience.

Our understanding of addiction and how it is treated has advanced remarkably over the past decades, and much of the progress is related directly to animal research. This is true for both the behavioural aspects of drug use as well as the biological underpinnings of the disorder. In Animal Models of Drug Addiction, experts in the field provide an up-to-date review of complex behavioural paradigms that model different stages of this disorder and explain how each test is used to effectively replicate the progression of drug addiction. This detailed and practical book begins with the most common laboratory measures of addiction in animals, including intracranial self-stimulation (ICSS), drug self-administration, place conditioning, and sensitization. Later chapters describe how these paradigms are used to model the progression of drug addiction, providing insight into the clinical symptomatology of addiction from acquisition of drug use through compulsive drug taking to withdrawal and relapse. Written for the popular Neuromethods series, the contributions offer both methodological detail and a theoretical perspective, appealing to readers familiar with preclinical research on drug addiction as well as those who are newcomers to the field. Cutting-edge and authoritative, Animal Models of Drug Addiction will serve as a basis for future vital research that links the bench to the bedside in the crucial treatment of drug addiction.

In view of the numerous failures of clinical trials aimed at improving stroke therapy, the role and potential benefit of experimentally modeling focal cerebral ischemia in rodents has been debated. When methods of systematic review and metaanalyis are applied, however, it turns out that experimental models actually faithfully predicted the negative outcomes of clinical trials. In addition, thrombolysis and neuroprotection by hypothermia, first described in animal models, are key examples of treatment modalities that have made it successfully into clinical practice. In Rodent Models of Stroke, an international consortium of authors aims at critically addressing the issues on a very practical level, from choosing the model and outcome measures, designing the experiment, conducting and analyzing it, to reporting it in a scientific publication. The structure and content of the book reflect both the authors' longstanding expertise in experimental and clinical stroke research and their roles in training the scientific community in the tools of the trade. As a volume in the successful Neuromethods series, the chapters provide authoritative reviews of the most commonly used, well-honed approaches in the field today. Stimulating and easy-to-use, Rodent Models of Stroke will help its readers understand the limitations and the opportunities of modeling stroke in rodents and enable them to conduct experiments which will not only improve our understanding of the pathophysiology of this devastating disorder but also serve as the basis for developing new highly effective treatments.

Reflecting the enormous advances made in the field over the past ten years, this text synthesizes the latest developments in the ecology and evolution of animal parasites against a backdrop of parallel advances in parasite systematics, biodiversity and life cycles. This second edition has been thoroughly revised to meet the needs of a new generation of parasitology students. Balancing traditional approaches in parasitology with modern studies in parasite ecology and evolution, the authors present basic ecological principles as a unifying framework to help students understand the complex phenomenon of parasitism. Richly illustrated with over 250 figures, the text is accompanied by case study boxes designed to help students appreciate the complexity and diversity of parasites and the scientists who study them. This unique approach, presented clearly and with a minimum of jargon and mathematical detail, encourages students from diverse backgrounds to think generally and conceptually about parasites and parasitism.

Presents clinically applicable information about the use of cytology Presents cases at the end of each chapter that help veterinarians appreciate the usefulness of cytology in ensuring a high quality diagnosis in their practice Includes chapters written by experts from around the world Contains more than 1300 superb illustrations. The colour schemes used throughout the book fit with the colours often seen with cytological staining, keeping the appearance of the book consistent, easy to look at and enjoyable to use. The book is divided up into chapters based on anatomical region, making it very easy to locate information required for assistance with a specific case. Tissue-specific chapters focus on diseases of a particular area, always in comparison to normal tissue. Unlike in other books, ocular and aural cytology hasn't been grouped together as 'organs of special senses' and instead each have their own detailed chapters, providing a good breadth of information. Multiple cytological images are provided for the same sample, providing multiple views of what may be seen. Summary tables give a quick reference that can be easily understood and used for real life scenarios. The writing uses technical language where appropriate but without overcomplicating the information presented. Compared to other textbooks, this is very accessible and easy to understand. The book is priced more affordably than the main competitor: Raskin & Meyer 'Canine and Feline Cytology' and it is more easily understandable, approachable, with more and better images.

This book is the first major synthesis of theory and empirical knowledge regarding the ecology and epidemiology of infectious diseases in natural, unmanaged, animal and plant populations. Throughout the book, the contributors develop a dialogue between the patterns observed in empirical studies of disease in natural populations and the mathematical models used to dissect and examine the observed epidemiological patterns. The book is divided into a number of reviews and group reports by experts in various fields. Two sections synthesize important issues relating to the dynamics of microparasites and macroparasites, while the others discuss spatial patterns in disease dynamics and the evolutionary biology of parasites, pathogens and their hosts. This book will be of use to graduate students and specialists in mathematical biology and epidemiology.

This book is the first major synthesis of theory and empirical knowledge regarding the ecology and epidemiology of infectious diseases in natural, unmanaged, animal and plant populations. Throughout the book, the contributors develop a dialogue between the patterns observed in empirical studies of disease in natural populations and the mathematical models used to dissect and examine the observed epidemiological patterns. The book is divided into a number of reviews and group reports by experts in various fields. Two sections synthesize important issues relating to the dynamics of microparasites and macroparasites, while the others discuss spatial patterns in disease dynamics and the evolutionary biology of parasites, pathogens and their hosts. This book will be of use to graduate students and specialists in mathematical biology and epidemiology.

Essential Ornithology provides the reader with a concise but comprehensive introduction to the biology of birds, one of the most widely studied taxonomic groups. The book begins by considering the dinosaur origins of birds and their subsequent evolution. Development, anatomy, and physiology are then discussed followed by chapters devoted to avian reproduction, migration, ecology, and conservation. Sections dealing with aspects of bird/human relationships and bird conservation give the book an applied context. This new edition has been thoroughly updated, providing new information from rapidly-developing fields including the avian fossil record, urban and agricultural ecology, responses to climate change, invasive species biology, technologies to track movement, avian disease, and the role of citizen scientists. There is also a greater focus on North American ornithology. Drawing extensively upon the wider scientific literature, this engaging text places the results of classical studies of avian biology alongside the most recent scientific breakthroughs. Useful case studies are presented in a concise and engaging style with the student reader foremost in mind. Key points are highlighted and suggestions for guided reading and key references are included throughout. Essential Ornithology is a companion textbook for advanced undergraduate and graduate students taking courses in avian science, as well as a useful reference for professional researchers and consultants. Amateur ornithologists will also find this book offers a scientifically rigorous and accessible overview for a more general readership.

Evolutionary medicine has been steadily gaining recognition, not only in modern clinical research and practice, but also in bioarchaeology (the study of archaeological human remains) and especially its sub-discipline, palaeopathology. To date, however, palaeopathology has not been necessarily recognised as particularly useful to the field and most key texts in evolutionary medicine have tended to overlook it. This novel text is the first to highlight the benefits of using palaeopathological research to answer questions about the evolution of disease and its application to current health problems, as well as the benefits of using evolutionary thinking in medicine to help interpret historical disease processes. It presents hypothesis-driven research by experts in biological anthropology (including palaeopathology), medicine, health sciences, and evolutionary medicine through a series of unique case studies that address specific research questions. Each chapter has been co-authored by two or more researchers with different disciplinary perspectives in order to provide original, insightful, and interdisciplinary contributions that will provide new insights for both palaeopathology and evolutionary medicine. Palaeopathology and Evolutionary Medicine is intended for graduate level students and professional researchers in a wide range of fields including the humanities (history), social sciences (anthropology, archaeology, palaeopathology, geography), and life sciences (medicine and biology). Relevant courses include evolutionary medicine, evolutionary anthropology, medical anthropology, and palaeopathology.

Many invertebrates are serious pests of agriculture (e.g., mites and locusts), vectors of disease (e.g., mosquitoes and aquatic snails) and venomous (e.g., scorpions), whilst others are beneficial to humans as pollinators, food sources, and detritivores. Despite their obvious ecological, medical, and economic importance, this is the first comprehensive review of invertebrate diseases to be available within a single volume. Concurrent molecular and bioinformatics developments over the last decade have catalysed a renaissance in invertebrate pathology. High-throughput sequencing, handheld diagnostic kits, and the move to new technologies have rapidly increased our understanding of invertebrate diseases, generating a large volume of fundamental and applied research on the topic. An overview is now timely and this authoritative work assembles an international team of the leading specialists in the field to review the main diseases and pathologic manifestations of all the major invertebrate groups. Each chapter adopts a common plan in terms of its scope and approach to achieve a succinct and coherent synthesis. Invertebrate Pathology is aimed at graduate students and researchers in the fields of disease ecology, invertebrate biology, comparative immunology, aquaculture, fisheries, veterinary science, evolution, and conservation. It will be particularly useful for readers new to the field as well as a broader interdisciplinary audience of practitioners and resource managers.

Essential Ornithology provides the reader with a concise but comprehensive introduction to the biology of birds, one of the most widely studied taxonomic groups. The book begins by considering the dinosaur origins of birds and their subsequent evolution. Development, anatomy, and physiology are then discussed followed by chapters devoted to avian reproduction, migration, ecology, and conservation. Sections dealing with aspects of bird/human relationships and bird conservation give the book an applied context. This new edition has been thoroughly updated, providing new information from rapidly-developing fields including the avian fossil record, urban and agricultural ecology, responses to climate change, invasive species biology, technologies to track movement, avian disease, and the role of citizen scientists. There is also a greater focus on North American ornithology. Drawing extensively upon the wider scientific literature, this engaging text places the results of classical studies of avian biology alongside the most recent scientific breakthroughs. Useful case studies are presented in a concise and engaging style with the student reader foremost in mind. Key points are highlighted and suggestions for guided reading and key references are included throughout. Essential Ornithology is a companion textbook for advanced undergraduate and graduate students taking courses in avian science, as well as a useful reference for professional researchers and consultants. Amateur ornithologists will also find this book offers a scientifically rigorous and accessible overview for a more general readership.

Reflecting the enormous advances made in the field over the past ten years, this text synthesizes the latest developments in the ecology and evolution of animal parasites against a backdrop of parallel advances in parasite systematics, biodiversity and life cycles. This second edition has been thoroughly revised to meet the needs of a new generation of parasitology students. Balancing traditional approaches in parasitology with modern studies in parasite ecology and evolution, the authors present basic ecological principles as a unifying framework to help students understand the complex phenomenon of parasitism. Richly illustrated with over 250 figures, the text is accompanied by case study boxes designed to help students appreciate the complexity and diversity of parasites and the scientists who study them. This unique approach, presented clearly and with a minimum of jargon and mathematical detail, encourages students from diverse backgrounds to think generally and conceptually about parasites and parasitism.

Birds are the most diverse group of land vertebrates and have evolved to exploit almost every terrestrial niche on earth. They also serve as a natural reservoir for an array of different pathogens that pose serious health risks to human and domestic animal populations, including West Nile virus, highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses, Newcastle Disease virus, and numerous enteric pathogens. Avian diseases are also critically important to the conservation of endemic bird species in many places around the world. This accessible textbook focuses on the dynamics of infectious diseases for wild avian hosts across every level of ecological hierarchy, from the way pathogens interact with the physiology and behavior of individual hosts, the evolutionary and ecological dynamics of the host-parasite interactions occurring within populations, up to the complex biotic and abiotic interactions occurring within biological communities and ecosystems. Parasite-bird interactions are also increasingly occurring in rapidly changing global environments - thus, their ecology is also changing - and this shapes the complex ways by which parasites influence the inter-connected health of birds, humans, and shared ecosystems. Given the key role of birds in ecological communities more broadly, and as the primary host to so many zoonotic pathogens, an understanding of the ecological and evolutionary principles underlying the maintenance, amplification, transmission, and dispersal of these infectious agents is crucial to understanding how to mitigate the negative global impacts of the ever-increasing number of emerging infectious diseases. Although the topics and principles discussed in this book relate to birds, they have a far wider relevance and can also be applied to non-avian, wildlife host-pathogen systems. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that understanding of disease ecology in wild animal populations is paramount to global health. Infectious Disease Ecology of Wild Birds is suitable for both senior undergraduate and graduate students taking courses in avian disease ecology, ecoimmunology, ecology, and conservation. It will also appeal to the many professional parasitologists, ecoimmunologists, ornithologists, behavioural ecologists, conservation biologists, and wildlife biologists requiring a concise overview of the topic.

"Fish Disease: Diagnosis and Treatment, Second Edition" provides thorough, yet concise descriptions of viral, bacterial, fungal, parasitic and noninfectious diseases in an exhaustive number of fish species. Now in full color with over 500 images, the book is designed as a comprehensive guide to the identification and treatment of both common and rare problems encountered during the clinical work-up. Diseases are discussed following a systems-based approach to ensure a user-friendly and practical manual for identifying problems.

"Fish Disease: Diagnosis and Treatment, Second Edition" is the must-have reference for any aquaculturists, aquatic biologists, or fish health specialists dealing with diagnosing or treating fish diseases.

Whether through loss of habitat or cascading community effects, diseases can shape the very nature of the marine environment. Despite their significant impacts, studies of marine diseases have tended to lag behind their terrestrial equivalents, particularly with regards to their ecological effects. However, in recent decades global research focused on marine disease ecology has expanded at an accelerating rate. This is due in part to increases in disease emergence across many taxa, but can also be attributed to a broader realization that the parasites responsible for disease are themselves important members of marine communities. Understanding their ecological relationships with the environment and their hosts is critical to understanding, conserving, and managing natural and exploited populations, communities, and ecosystems. Courses on marine disease ecology are now starting to emerge and this first textbook in the field will be ideally placed to serve them. Marine Disease Ecology is suitable for graduate students and researchers in the fields of marine disease ecology, aquaculture, fisheries, veterinary science, evolution and conservation. It will also be of relevance and use to a broader interdisciplinary audience of government agencies, NGOs, and marine resource managers.