"Hereditary Peripheral Neuropathies" deals with the Charcot-Marie-Tooth group of neuropathies and related primary hereditary neuropathies. The knowledge in this field has grown exponentially during the last ten years. The book is divided into two sections. The first section deals with the clinical presentation, electrophysiological features and differential diagnosis of these disorders as well as with the general biology of the peripheral nerve. The second section gives a detailed account of the known disease entities. The book will be interesting for both the clinician with a special interest in PNS diseases as well as for the researcher.

Interest in techniques to control the brain and thereby improve its function has surged, yet how realistic are these expectations and what are the ethical implications? This book reviews the main techniques of controlling brain processes for medical purposes, situating them within ethical and legal debates on autonomy and fairness.

Neuronal phase response curves (PRCs) summarize the relationship between the timing of inputs within a neuron's spike cycle and the consequent shifts in output spike timing. The form of a neuron's PRC reflects its mechanism of spike initiation or excitability as well as other influences of membrane conductances on synaptic integration. PRCs are efficient encapsulations of the input-output processing of individual neurons to single perturbations and are powerful devices for the prediction and interpretation of patterned neuronal network activity including synchronization phenomena in connected networks or populations receiving shared input. Thus, application of phase response analysis to neural systems targets the interface of neural computation at the cellular and network levels, one of the most critical and expansive gaps in our understanding of the brain. This volume surveys the diversity of applications of phase response analysis by many of the prominent theoreticians and experimentalists in the Computational Neurosciences. Readers will find a thorough introduction to the foundational concepts underlying phase response analysis, advanced techniques for accurate estimation of neuronal PRCs, and impactful illustrations of both the cellular underpinnings of the phase response properties of neurons and the power of phase response analysis to explain network behavior. Throughout the book, the authors use phase response analysis to elucidate a number of neural systems that are current foci of exciting research in the Computational Neurosciences and are at the forefront of our advancing grasp of the complex mechanisms of brain function and dysfunction.

Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder charact- ized clinically by tremor, rigidity, slow movements, and postural instability. Pathologically, dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra bear the brunt of the degeneration, though other neuronal groups can be affected as well. Although Parkinson's disease is the only neurodegenerative disorder for which effective therapies are available, these treatment options are only symptomatic, do not influence the underlying degenerative process, and are associated with a high incidence of complications, particularly with their long-term use. The progressive nature of the disease and the limitations of its palliative therapies result in significant functional impairment. The chronic disability and the increased prevalence of the disease with the prolongation of life expectancy in developed countries make the social and economic impact of this disease quite high. For- nately, systematic basic and clinical research in this disease has yielded major new advances that render patients' hopes for a cure considerably closer to reality. The application of molecular biologic methodologies in the study of Parkinson's disease has begun to have a major impact only in recent years. Con- quently, the utility of these technologies is largely in the research arena, although their clinical applications are now being realized.

When Oliver Sacks was twelve years old, a perceptive schoolmaster wrote in his report: 'Sacks will go far, if he does not go too far'. It is now abundantly clear that Sacks has never stopped going . . . From its opening pages on his youthful obsession with motorcycles and speed, On the Move is infused with his restless energy. As he recounts his experiences as a young neurologist in the early 1960s, first in California and then in New York, where he discovered a long-forgotten illness in the back wards of a chronic hospital, as well as with a group of patients who would define his life, it becomes clear that Sacks's earnest desire for engagement has occasioned unexpected encounters and travels - sending him through bars and alleys, over oceans, and across continents. With unbridled honesty and humour, Sacks shows us that the same energy that drives his physical passions -bodybuilding, weightlifting, and swimming - also drives his cerebral passions. He writes about his love affairs, both romantic and intellectual, his guilt over leaving his family to come to America, his bond with his schizophrenic brother, and the writers and scientists - Thom Gunn, A. R. Luria, W. H. Auden, Gerald M. Edelman, Francis Crick - who influenced him. On the Move is the story of a brilliantly unconventional physician and writer - and of the man who has illuminated the many ways that the brain makes us human.

Neurobiology of Addiction and Comorbid Disorders, Volume 156, in the International Review of Neurobiology series, highlights new advances in the field of neurobiology, with this new volume presenting interesting chapters on topics such as Pain + Alcohol, Pain + Opioids, Traumatic Stress + Alcohol, Traumatic Stress + Cannabinoids, Traumatic Brain Injury and the Misuse of Alcohol, Opioids, and Cannabis, Depression + Addiction, Microbiome/cytokines + Addiction, Cognitive disorders + Alcohol, Neural stem cells, Neurogenesis and Addiction, Food Addiction, and Poly-drug Addiction.

Does the mind reflect or dictate what the body sees and feels? What is the language of emotion? Is memory a function of our imaginations? Are we all just out of our minds?

In this ambitious and enlightening work, Diane Ackerman combines an artist's eye with a scientist's erudition to illuminate the magic and mysteries of the human brain. With "An Alchemy of Mind, " she offers an unprecedented exploration of the mental fantasia in which we spend our days. In addition to explaining memory, thought, emotion, dreams, and language acquisition, Ackerman reports on the latest discoveries in neuroscience and addresses such controversial subjects as the effects of trauma, nature versus nurture, and male versus female brains. In prose that is not simply accessible but also beautiful and electric, Ackerman distills the hard, objective truths of science in order to yield vivid, anecdotal explanations about a range of existential questions regarding consciousness and the nature of identity.

Plasma cell dyscrasias are common causes of peripheral neuropathy. Peri- pheral neuropathy may be the first manifestation of multiple myeloma, amyloidosis, or monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS). Peripheral neuropathy occurs in more than one-half of patients with osteosclerotic myeloma. The hematologic disorders are such an important association with peripheral polyneuropathy that, for the last decade, we have obtained a metastatic bone survey and immunoelectrophoresis of serum and a 24-hour urine specimen on all patients older than 40 years with undiagnosed peripheral neuropathy. This textbook on polyneuropathies and plasma cell dyscrasia is welcome, because the subject is of considerable medical importance and because the authors are expert in these disorders. Kelly's studies have shown that a systematic search for monoclonal proteins in plasma and urine among patients with neuropathy of unknown cause increases diagnostic yield. Latov's studies have focused on the role of myelin associated glycoproteins (MAG) in the induction of neuropathy. Kyle, director of the Special Protein Laboratory at Mayo Clinic, brings a broad clinical and laboratory perspective and experi- ence. The timing of the textbook is just right, because there is much new information which needs to be summarized.

Written in honour of eminent historian Roy Porter by twenty of his colleagues and students, the collection renders cutting edge scholarship accessible. Historians from the three fields that Porter made his own - the histories of medicine, madness, and the Enlightenment - illustrate his influence while tackling major themes ranging from disability rights to the popularization of science. In their accounts, artisan gardeners jostle with anarchists, dentists, and hypnotists in a lively, and very Porterian, parade.

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Important clinical issues as the outcome of long term treatment with antidepressants, the time of onset of the antidepressant response and the limitations of the antidepressants currently available are covered in this monograph. Leading researchers in the area of clinical and experimental psychopharmacology critically assess the progress in their specialist fields. The mechanisms of action of antidepressants are considered, followed by clinical research into the role of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and the immune system in the biology of depression and in response to treatment. The final chapter deals with the important chemical entities now undergoing development as antidepressants. The purpose of this monograph is not only to inform but also to stimulate research into the biology of depression and the mechanisms behind the action of effective antidepressants. This monograph is of interest to psychiatrists, psychologists, pharmacologists, neuroscientists and endocrinologists.

Research of 5-HT2c receptors stretches back twenty-five years, and while much of it has been productive, the past decade of research has been extraordinary in terms of both amount produced and insights gained. It is hardly surprising that 5-HT2c receptor research has grown so fruitful, given that it is a prominent central serotonin receptor subtype widely expressed within the central and the peripheral nervous system and is thought to play a major role in the regulation of numerous behaviors. It has further been shown by experimental and clinical observation that it may represent a possible therapeutic target for the development of drugs for a range of central nervous system disorders. The time, therefore, is more than appropriate to offer the first ever overview of the research of 5-HT2c receptors. Part of the popular and important series, "The Receptors," The 5-HT2c Receptor provides a thorough update of the functional status of the 5-HT2c receptor. It covers the molecular, cellular, anatomical, biochemical and behavioral aspects of this receptor so as to highlight its distinctive regulatory properties and the emerging functional significance of constitutive activity and RNA-editing in vivo. In addition, the book investigates the receptors' therapeutic potential in a range of different diseases, treated individually in separate chapters, including depression, drug abuse, schizophrenia, eating disorders, Parkinson's disease, Prader-Willi Syndrome, Alzheimer's disease and epilepsy. While not exhaustive, this text is a vital tool in understanding the past and inspiring the future of interdisciplinary research on the 5-HT2c receptor.

We are at the midpoint in the "Decade of the Brain." Why do we know so much and yet understand so little about the brain? The field of neuroscience has exploded, and anyone who attends one of the large meetings has the impression of drinking from a fire hydran- as so aptly put by the late neuroanatomist Walle J. H. Nauta. Part of that feeling is a general-information problem, experienced in other fields of scienc as well. In brain research, however, the problem is accentuated by the rapid advances of molecular and cellular brain research. The dynamics created by these lines of research have multiplied published output, but have inevitably entailed a compartmentalization of scientific interests and research strategies. If the cost of gaining knowledge is a shrinking horizon of the individual scientist, neuroscience must develop strategies for organizing the acquisition of knowledge. Some of this guidance is given by the society -by medical and, perhaps, commercial needs. But who provides the backbone for establishing a generally accepted "schema" for basic brain research -a frame of reference onto which the millions of information fragments can be fitted, in a way acceptable to a multicultural and polymethodical neuroscience community? We believe that developmental and evolutionary biology has the potential to provide a commonly accepted frame of reference for that multilevel system approach needed to understand the workings of the brain.

Neural Engineering for Autism Spectrum Disorder, Volume Two: Diagnosis and Clinical Analysis presents the latest advances in neural engineering and biomedical engineering as applied to the clinical diagnosis and treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Advances in the role of neuroimaging, magnetic resonance spectroscopy, MRI, fMRI, DTI, video analysis of sensory-motor and social behaviors, and suitable data analytics useful for clinical diagnosis and research applications for Autism Spectrum Disorder are covered, including relevant case studies. The application of brain signal evaluation, EEG analytics, fuzzy model and temporal fractal analysis of rest state BOLD signals and brain signals are also presented. A clinical guide for general practitioners is provided along with a variety of assessment techniques such as magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The book is presented in two volumes, including Volume One: Imaging and Signal Analysis Techniques comprised of two Parts: Autism and Medical Imaging, and Autism and Signal Analysis. Volume Two: Diagnosis and Treatment includes Autism and Clinical Analysis: Diagnosis, and Autism and Clinical Analysis: Treatment.

In addition to surgery and radiotherapy, local treatment modalities for the management of brain tumours are increasingly being developed and clinically tested. This book describes for the first time basic tumour biology as well as all current procedures in progress at the most recent level of knowledge, presented by leading experts in the respective fields. Image guided resection procedures, fluorescence guided surgery, developments in interstitial radiosurgery are addressed, just as intracavitary chemotherapy and all current concepts and studies of interstitial targeted therapy. Owing to its topicality this book will remain for long the standard for this comprehensively treated subject.

Gliomas are fatal diseases, but also represent good models for tumor research with the aim to eventually discover new and appropriate therapeutics against this disease. Glioma experimental research models are of help to investigate tumorigenesis (tumor stem cell theory versus "classical" opinions), tumor angiogenesis (since they are highly vascularized) and tumor invasion (since they grow without limits). In addition, they have a very special microenvironment (the brain) and limited tumor stroma cells (mainly microglia and endothelial cells). This book addresses the molecular mechanisms of the various tumor stages, describes the interaction with the tumor microenvironment and furthermore depicts experimental models for Glioma research and future therapeutic concepts. The book is composed and written for Scientists and Medical Doctors in Oncology, Neurosciences and Molecular Biology. "

This book, the latest in the International Child Neurology Review series, is the first authoritative synthesis of the role of vitamin treatments in children with neurological disorders. It covers all the conditions seen in paediatric neurology that are treatable by vitamin supplementation and consists of up-to-date, concise reviews by an international group of experts in their specific fields. They cover: biotinidase deficiency; the role of vitamins in the developing nervous system, mitochondrial disorders and autism; homocysteinuria; conditions responsive to vitamin E or riboflavin; disorders of folic acid and vitamin B12 metabolism; folinic acid responsive seizures, and all aspects of pyridoxine-dependent and pyridoxine-responsive seizures. It is the first time that clinical and data research in this field has been drawn together in one source, making available previously unpublished material. This will be a unique data resource for anyone involved in the care of children with vitamin-responsive neurological disorders.

As an addition to the European postgraduate training system for young neurosurgeons we began to publish in 1974 this series of Advances and Technical Standards in Neurosurgery which was later sponsored by the European Association of Neurosurgical Societies. This series was first discussed in 1972 at a combined meeting of the Italian and German Neurosurgical Societies in Taormina, the founding fathers of the series being Jean Brihaye, Bernard Pertuiset, Fritz Loew and Hugo Krayenbiihl. Thus were established the principles of European co operation which have been born from the European spirit, flourished in the European Association, and have throughout been associated with this series. The fact that the English language is well on the way to becoming the international medium at European scientific conferences is a great asset in terms of mutual understanding. Therefore we have decided to publish all contributions in English, regardless of the native language of the authors. All contributions are submitted to the entire editorial board before publi cation of any volume. Our series is not intended to compete with the publications of original scientific papers in other neurosurgical journals. Our intention is, rather, to present fields of neurosurgery and related areas in which important recent advances have been made. The contributions are written by specialists in the given fields and constitute the first part of each volume.

Autism has long been considered a boys' condition, but there is more to this story. The truth is, autism looks different in women and girls. They're much better at ""pretending to be normal"" by masking their autistic characteristics. How can we look behind the mask to recognize autism, when it has been so well camouflaged? Recognizing Autism in Women and Girls: When It Has Been Hidden Well provides the perspective needed to see how autism manifests in gendered ways, allowing for a more accurate diagnosis. In addition to describing each point in the diagnostic manual to include feminine presentations, Dr. Marsh has created ""Five Fictional Female Figures"" who've been misdiagnosed because they also display symptoms of other similar conditions. She describes their behaviors, both obvious and hidden, from early childhood to adulthood, and demonstrates how these behaviors meet diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum disorder. The ""Behind the Mask"" section provides helpful questions to ask during the autism assessment process to allow the professional to recognize autism, even when it has been successfully masked. In addition, each chapter contains ""In Her Own Words,"" written by autistic women who describe their personal journeys from masking to diagnosis, and what it means to them. Being recognized at last for who they truly are frees autistic women to stop hiding behind a mask and begin opening doors to success.

Rather than being an esoteric aspect of brain function, lateralization is a fundamental characteristic of the vertebrate brain essential to a broad range of neural and behavioral processes.' Professor Lesley J. Rogers, Chapter 1 of Side Bias: A Neuropsychological Perspective. This volume contains 14 chapters from a veritable United Nations' of experts in the field of lateralization of function. They write comprehensive reviews, present data, and pose new questions concerning the evolutionary origins and development of side bias, methodological concerns with the way we measure handedness and footedness, and some more unusual aspects of human beings' lateralized behavior, such as asymmetrical cradling and pseudoneglect. The book will be essential reading for students of behavioral neuroscience and neuropsychology interested in lateralization of function as well as for established researchers in the field.

Scientific investigations of a descriptive nature involve in creasingly refined definitions of a problem. An idea is trans formed after initial experiments into a working hypothesis that has a number of testable consequences. Rarely in the neurosci ences do such tests completely falsify the hypothesis; more commonly they lead to a modified, more general hypothesis. One could argue that in order to define a scientific problem, one must first understand it. This monograph is an attempt to draw together knowledge and understanding from various disciplines, collected from studies carried out over more than 80 yr, of the functions of the auditory midbrain. This part of the brain has been of continuing interest to me, from my days as a postgraduate student in the mid-1960s to the present time, because so many ideas about central auditory organization and function have developed from studies of this region. This book is dedicated to Jerzy E. Rose, Professor Emer itus of Neurophysiology at the University of Wisconsin. His intellect and clarity of mind have been responsible for many of the modern ideas of auditory neurophysiology. These ideas have been incorporated into a series of classic papers on audi tory neuroscience that will be important for a long time to corne. In addition, Jerzy Rose has been an inspired teacher whose precepts of brain structure and function have been a major influence on his students, including the author."

Edited by the 1991 winners of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, this Second Edition includes new chapters covering such applications as capacitance measurements; single-cell PCR measurements; whole-cell recording from brain slices in combination with imaging techniques; atomic force microscopy of cells and membranes attached to glass pipettes; and patch clamping.