This book provides a cutting-edge review of polyglutamine disorders. It primarily focuses on two main aspects: (1) the mechanisms underlying the pathologies' development and progression, and (2) the therapeutic strategies that are currently being explored to stop or delay disease progression. Polyglutamine (polyQ) disorders are a group of inherited neurodegenerative diseases with a fatal outcome that are caused by an abnormal expansion of a coding trinucleotide repeat (CAG), which is then translated in an abnormal protein with an elongated glutamine tract (Q). To date, nine polyQ disorders have been identified and described: dentatorubral-pallidoluysian atrophy (DRPLA); Huntington's disease (HD); spinal-bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA); and six spinocerebellar ataxias (SCA 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, and 17). The genetic basis of polyQ disorders is well established and described, and despite important advances that have opened up the possibility of generating genetic models of the disease, the mechanisms that cause neuronal degeneration are still largely unknown and there is currently no treatment available for these disorders. Further, it is believed that the different polyQ may share some mechanisms and pathways contributing to neurodegeneration and disease progression.

Written to encourage defensive action, Levine's book is meant both as a guide and a reference to understanding and preventing dementia. It is intended for lay people interested in learning about dementia and the measures that can be taken to repel its onslaught, as well as for caregivers and family members of impaired patients. Defying Dementia is presented in two sections. First, Levine explains the various types of dementia, its increasing incidence and current treatments, and the treatments being tested and on the horizon. The role of physiology and fresh insights from the field of genetics are included. The second section focuses on methods that can be incorporated into a healthy lifestyle to help avoid dementia. How do we motivate individuals to take action or change behavior in response to a possible threat that has not yet materialized? When the threat is dementia, argues longtime neurologist Robert Levine, it is an issue of considerable importance. The earlier the campaign is initiated to defeat this lurking foe, the greater the chances the combatant will emerge victorious. Written to encourage such defensive action, Levine's book is meant both as a guide and a reference to understanding and preventing dementia. It is intended for lay people interested in learning about dementia and the measures that can be taken to repel its onslaught, as well as for caregivers and family members of impaired patients. Defying Dementia is presented in two sections. First, Levine explains the various types of dementia, its increasing incidence and current treatments, and the treatments being tested and on the horizon. The role of physiology and fresh insights from the field of genetics are included. The second section focuses on methods that can be incorporated into a healthy lifestyle to help avoid dementia. Vignettes illustrate how dementia in its many forms can be recognized as it emerges. With proper actions on our part, we can achieve mastery, Levine writes. The transformation may not be easy, but recognizing the scourge that dementia is, and the way it devours the humanity of its victims, may inspire us to move ahead. Preparation is the key word; building solid defenses over time. And while any moment is worthwhile to begin this task, the earlier the better.

Yet despite this awareness, many clinicians as well as the general public continue to under-appreciate the significance of ADHD as it manifests itself in adults. What happens to all these ADHD kids when they grow up? ADHD isn t like a cold or the flu it doesn t just go away all of the time. As a child grows and matures, it is possible that the symptoms lessen, and in some cases adults are able to overcome the disorder, but it doesn t usually just vanish on its own. At least 40-70% of those diagnosed with this disorder as kids will have it persist when they are adults; however, mental health professionals often overlook ADHD symptoms and continue calling their adult patients who suffer from it anxious or depressed, or diagnose them with a personality disorder. Family members may also consider adults with procrastination issues, inattentiveness, and distractibility lazy or malingering, when in fact they are suffering from ADHD. Here Joel Young MD, who has been treating and researching ADHD for more than15 years, takes a comprehensive look at ADHD in adults. As an accurate diagnosis is essential to a patient s successful treatment, the book begins by detailing how clinicians can provide the most accurate ADHD diagnosis. Once established, the basic diagnostic process begins. This includes obtaining a careful medical history to rule out medical problems that may mimic the symptoms of ADHD, taking a psychiatric history and carefully considering any family or genetic history of medical and psychiatric problems. Some helpful tools used to evaluate quickly and comprehensively distressed patients are presented. Comorbidities are extremely common among patients with ADHD. Emphasis in the book is placed on the most common ADHD comorbidities, including mood and anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, oppositional defiant disorders, eating disorders and learning disabilities. The book also details the different types of ADHD that clinicians may encounter: ADHD (predominately hyperactive/impulsive subtype) is manifested in people who are hyperactive, and experience serious problems at work and at home. They are fidgety and impatient and may be the most commonly diagnosed adults. ADHD (predominately-inattentive subtype) manifests itself in patients who are typically, but not exclusively, female. As children, these women were inattentive and distractible, underperforming but not demonstrating overt behaviors typical of their hyperactive brethren. Their conditions may be complicated by factors like anxiety, depression, and fatigue. Even as adults, most clinicians overlook their symptoms. Other chapters focus on diagnostic and treatment issues in specific populations: adolescents and common adolescent mindsets; women with ADHD; substance abuse; psychotherapy and coaching as treatments and medications. The medications chapter will review the use of antidepressant and mood stabilizing medications taken in concert with stimulants or non-stimulants, and other medication combinations need for conditions comorbid with ADHD. Finally, the author concludes by presenting findings that self-referred patients with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome have high rates of ADHD. Young proposes that extreme distractibility may intensify the patient s pain perception. Overall this book provides clinicians and family members with a concise yet comprehensive overview of the many issues associated with ADHD throughout adolescence and adulthood."

This book reports on the latest technological and clinical advances in the field of neurorehabilitation. It is, however, much more than a conventional survey of the state-of-the-art in neurorehabilitation technologies and therapies. It was written on the basis of a week of lively discussions between PhD students and leading research experts during the Summer School on Neurorehabilitation (SSNR2014), held September 15-19 in Baiona, Spain. Its unconventional format makes it a perfect guide for all PhD students, researchers and professionals interested in gaining a multidisciplinary perspective on current and future neurorehabilitation scenarios. The book addresses various aspects of neurorehabilitation research and practice, including a selection of common impairments affecting CNS function, such as stroke and spinal cord injury, as well as cutting-edge rehabilitation and diagnostics technologies, including robotics, neuroprosthetics, brain-machine interfaces and neuromodulation.

This volume describes the treatment of uniquely complex and profound sexual problems that the therapeutic community has been largely unsuccessful in treating. The reader is drawn to understand and even identify with the people experiencing sexual disturbance. This process of identification helps to mitigate the biases that we use to dehumanize the sexually disturbed.

This work is developed around a case study format, with chapters on specific psychosexual disturbances. All of these cases experienced early childhood sexual trauma or mislearning that interrupted the course of normal sexual development. Such victims then frequently repeat the learned behavior in later life, acting out the role of perpetrator. In addition to presenting the treatment process as it is formulated in the mind of the therapist, the author offers a blueprint for therapy that makes specific treatment possible for clients with similar disorders. Therapists are also guided in developing an effective clinical presence, covering such matters as initial contact, boundary setting, self awareness, dress, voice tone, and overall demeanor. Strategies for avoiding becoming enmeshed in psychological defenses are presented in detail.

This well-established international series examines major areas of basic and clinical research within neuroscience, as well as emerging and promising subfields. This volume explores interdisciplinary research on invertebrate and vertebrate models of odor memory and perception, as well as human odor memory and perception. This book brings together a collection of authors that cut across model systems, techniques, levels of analysis and questions to highlight important and exciting advances in the area of olfactory memory and perception. The chapters highlight the unique aspects of olfactory system anatomy, local circuit function, odor coding and plasticity. The authors are leading authorities in the field.

Written by the leading researchers in the field of olfactory perception and memoryIncludes diverse models systems from invertebrates to humansIncludes diverse technical approaches to the study of olfactory memory and perceptionIncludes overview of the most recent research advances in this field

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, an inherited and progressive muscle wasting disease, is one of the most common single gene disorders found in the developed world. In this fourth edition of the classic monograph on the topic, Alan Emery and Francesco Muntoni are joined by Rosaline Quinlivan, Consultant in Neuromuscular Disorders, to provide a thorough update on all aspects of the disorder. Recent understanding of the nature of the genetic defect responsible for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and isolation of the protein dystrophin has led to the development of new theories for the disease's pathogenesis. This new edition incorporates these advances from the field of molecular biology, and describes the resultant opportunities for screening, prenatal diagnosis, genetic counselling and from recent pioneering work with anti-sense oligonucleotides, the possibility of effective RNA therapy. Although there is still no cure for the disorder, there have been significant developments concerning the gene basis, publication of standards of care guidelines, and improvements in management leading to significantly longer survival, particularly with cardio-pulmonary care. The authors also investigate other forms of pharmacological, cellular and gene therapies. Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy will be essential reading not only for scientists and clinicians, but will also appeal to therapists and other professionals involved in the care of patients with muscular dystrophy.

Few issues cause as much strife in contemporary society as does the cause and treatment of autism. Stories about the autism epidemic abound on talk shows and make headlines in newspapers and magazines. Celebrities and politicians express their personal opinions on the cause (or causes) of the increase in autism spectrum disorders (or ASDs), opinions often not shared by the conventional scientific community. Parents, family members, schools and government-funded agencies struggle to do the right thing for individuals with ASDs, This volume in the "Biographies of Disease" series provides an understandable, non-biased guide to the quagmire of information about ASDs. This foundation will enable readers to better understand the statements made by various authorities on ASDs. Autism covers all aspects of our historical and current understanding of autism spectrum disorders. The text starts with the recognition of autism in the forties and traces the development of ways to diagnose autism, explains why autism has been expanded to the autistic spectrum disorders. The author covers what is known and not known about the autism epidemic and the causes of ASDs. The critical importance of screening and early intervention is emphasized with respect to outcome for individuals with ASDs. Promising areas of research are highlighted. After reading this book, the reader will be able to place the latest breaking news about ASDs into perspective. While it is not yet possible to answer all of the questions about autism, this book allows the reader to follow along as the mystery is unraveled.

"Autism" covers all aspects of our historical and current understanding of autism spectrum disorders: The recognition of autism in the forties and the development of ways to diagnose autism; why autism has been expanded to the autistic spectrum disorders; what is known and not known about the autism epidemic and the causes of ASDs; the importance of screening and early intervention as well as information about outcome for individuals with ASDs; and promising areas of research.

After reading this book, the reader will be able to place the latest breaking news about ASDs into perspective. While it is not yet possible to answer all of the questions about autism, this book allows the reader to follow along as the mystery is unraveled.

This book offers a cross-cultural approach to cinematic representations of Alzheimer's disease in non-mainstream cinema. Even though Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia, is a global health issue, it is not perceived or represented homogenously around the world. Contrary to very well-known mainstream films, the films discussed do not focus on the negative aspects normally associated with Alzheimer's disease, but on the importance of portraying the perspective of the persons living with Alzheimer's and their personhood. Similarly, this book analyses how the films use Alzheimer's as a trope to address issues relating to different areas of life and society such as, for example, family matters, intergenerational relationships, gender issues, national traditions versus global modernity, and caring for people with dementia. By examining an array of films, from crime fiction to documentary, that each present non-stigmatising representations of Alzheimer's disease, this in-depth study ultimately demonstrates the power of culture in shaping meaning.

This informative text details the many changes in everyday life as the result of injury, illness, or aging affecting the brain. Experts across brain-related fields trace mechanisms of conditions such as Parkinson's disease, TBI, and dementia as they impact regions of the brain, and resulting cognitive, emotional, sensory, and motor impairments as they contribute to deficits in personal and social functioning. In addition to symptoms and behaviors associated with insults to the brain (and the extent to which the brain can adapt or self-repair), chapters provide cogent examples of how societal and cultural expectations can shape the context and experience of disability. The book's focus on everyday activities brings new clarity to diverse links between symptoms and diagnosis, brain and behavior. Included in the coverage: *The aging brain and changes in daily function. *Stroke: impact on life and daily function. *Traumatic brain injury (TBI) and the impact on daily life. *Everyday life with cancer. *Real-world impact of HIV-associated neurocognitive impairment. *Disability and public policy in America. *Living after brain changes, from the patient's perspective. Rich in empirical data and human insight, Changes in the Brain gives neuropsychologists, clinical psychologists, clinical social workers, and rehabilitation nurses a robust new understanding of the daily lives of patients, both in theory and in the real world.

This detailed volume collects protocols for experimentation into how neurons connect to produce the extraordinary functionalities of the nervous system. Contributed by experts and pioneers in their respective techniques, the book covers synapses in the brain and in culture, their constituents, their structures, their dynamics, and the assemblies they form, all in the structure of a laboratory guide. Written for the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series, chapters include brief introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, Synapse Development: Methods and Protocols serves as an ideal guide to minimizing the barrier to entry for the integration of new approaches with existing expertise, producing syntheses that will foster novel perspectives on the many ways in which synapses form, transform, and transmit.

The world within reach is characterised to a large extent by our ability to sense objects through touch. Research into the sensation of touch has a long history. However, it is only relatively recently that significant advances have been made in understanding how information about objects we touch is represented in both the peripheral and central divisions of the nervous systems. This volume draws together the increasing body of knowledge regarding the mechanisms underlying tactile sensation and how they relate to tactile perception.
Individual chapters address; the response of mechanoreceptors to stimuli (including movement and shape), the role of the somatosensory cortex in processing tactile information, the psychophysics and neurophysiology of the detection and categorisation of somesthetic stimuli, perceptual constancy, recent findings in regard to short term and long term plasticity in the somatosensory cortex and the psychophysical correlates of this plasticity, and parallel versus serial information processing in the cortex.
The authors look at past and current research, and comment on the direction of future investigation, relating findings from psychophysical studies of tactile behavior to our growing understanding of the underlying neural mechanisms.

This book is the first to summarize the progress of research on neural functions of the the delta opioid receptor (DOR) to date. This receptor, a member of the opioid receptor family, was traditionally thought to be primarily involved in pain modulation. Recent new findings have shown its unique role in neuroprotection and many other functions. Many scientists from a number of independent laboratories have now confirmed that DOR can provide neuroprotection against hypoxic/ischemic injuries. They have also found that it plays a role in a variety of physiological and pathophysiological events such as hypoxic encephalopathy, epilepsy, acupuncture, Parkinson's disease, etc. by regulating ionic homeostasis, glutamate transportation and signaling, and balancing intracellular survival/death signals. The book will provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of DOR research and provide a blueprint for future directions.

Aimed at both beginners and experienced researchers unfamiliar with the technique, this book provides a concise and easy-to-understand guide to using immunohistochemistry. It identifies the proper place and purpose of each component of immunohistochemistry, emphasizes the components that are of critical importance, and explains the logistics of experimental approaches. Understanding the principles of immunohistochemistry allows for the identification and localization of protein targets and is of crucial use in the following experiments: * producing transgenic animals * studying the effects of drug treatments * electrophysiological studies * animal surgery * isolating and differentiating stem cells * super-resolution microscopy Immunohistochemistry for the Non-Expert is aimed at a wide audience, including molecular biologists, pharmacologists, immunologists, chemists, cell biologists, physiologists, and researchers involved with animal anatomy studies.

This book offers a comprehensive and readable account of theoretical aspects of the origins of normal development of handedness and its relationship to cerebral lateralization and intellectual function. Later chapters review the evidence for links between non-right-handedness and various developmental disorders: mental impairment, autism, epilepsy, and disorders of spoken and written langauge. The emphasis is on understanding the range of underlying mechanisms that might lead to associations between handedness and disorder, and on identifying assessment procedures that can distinguish between different explanations.

This book fills the gap between the increasing demand for epilepsy surgical experience and limited training facilities in this area. It comprehensively describes surgical techniques, including tricks and pitfalls, based on the author's 30 years of experience, providing optimal and effective training for young neurosurgeons by avoiding learning by trial and error. Moreover, it also includes useful information for epileptologists and other professionals involved in the epilepsy surgical program to allow them to gain a better understanding of possibilities and limitations of epilepsy surgery.

The purpose of this work is to review recent findings highlighting the mechanisms and functions of the neuronal oscillations that structure brain activity across the sleep-wake cycle. An increasing number of studies conducted in humans and animals, and using a variety of techniques ranging from intracellular recording to functional neuroimaging, has provided important insight into the mechanisms and functional properties of these brain rhythms. Studies of these rhythms are fundamental not only for basic neuroscience, but also for clinical neuroscience. At the basic science level, neuronal oscillations shape the interactions between different areas of the brain and profoundly impact neural responses to the environment, thereby mediating the processing of information in the brain. At the clinical level, brain oscillations are affected in numerous neurological conditions and might provide useful biomarkers that inform about patients' evolution and vulnerability. During sleep, these brain rhythms could provide functional support to internal states that govern the basic maintenance of local circuit and systemic interactions. During wake, the rhythmicity of cortical and subcortical circuits have been linked with sensory processing, cognitive operations, and preparation for action. This book will attempt to link together these sleep and wake functional roles at the level of neuroimaging and electroencephalographic measures, local field potentials, and even at the cellular level.

Handbook of Pain and Palliative Care:Biobehavioral Approaches for the Life Course Rhonda J. Moore, editor This book takes both a biobehavioral and a lifespan approach to understanding long-term and chronic pain, and intervening to optimize patients' functioning. Rich in clinical diversity, chapters explore emerging areas of interest (computer-based interventions, fibromyalgia, stress), ongoing concerns (cancer pain, low back pain), and special populations (pediatric, elderly, military). This coverage provides readers with a knowledge base in assessment, treatment, and management that is up to date, practice strengthening, and forward looking. Subject areas featured in the Handbook include: Patient-practitioner communication Assessment tools and strategies Common pain conditions across the lifespan Biobehavioral mechanisms of chronic pain Pharmaceutical, neurological, and rehabilitative interventions Psychosocial, complementary/alternative, narrative, and spiritual approaches Ethical issue and future directions With the rise of integrative perspective and the emphasis on overall quality of life rather than discrete symptoms, pain management is gaining importance across medical disciplines. Handbook of Pain and Palliative Care stands out as a one-stop reference for a range of professionals, including health practitioners specializing in pain management or palliative care, clinical and health psychologists, public health professionals, and clinicians and administrators in long-term care and hospice.

A review of our understanding of this area of the brain, showing how it fits into the general picture of those areas concerned with modulating mammalian behavior. The chapters, all written by leading figures in behavioral neuroscience, discuss the anatomy, neurochemistry, physiology, and behavioral relations in the septal area. Due to the great deal of current research shown in the related areas of hippocampus and the amygdala, this book will be of great interest to all those who research the hippocampus and the amygdala in addition to the septum itself.

This book reviews recent knowledge of the role of gut microbiome in health and disease. It covers extensive topics for several diseases, including metabolic-related diseases, allergies, gastrointestinal diseases, psychiatric diseases, and cancer, while also discussing therapeutic approaches by microbiota modification. Comprehensive and cutting-edge, Gut Microbiome-Related Diseases and Therapies deepens a reader's theoretical expertise in gut microbiome. Graduate and postdoctoral students, medical doctors, and biomedical researchers will benefit from this book.

A neurologist whose father suffers from Parkinson's provides a layreader-friendly explanation of the disease, its history, development, treatment and modern advances that may ultimately lead to a cure. Rosenbaum's professional view is as a clinical neurologist who regularly cares for patients with the progressive neurological deterioration caused by Parkinson's Disease. His personal experience with his father, a retired surgeon, further powers his quest to give patients, family members and caregivers what they need to know. Topics covered include challenges of correct diagnosis, variations in prognosis, investigations of causes including exciting progress in possible toxins and genetic factors that play a role, and different treatment options including natural remedies as well as new drugs for symptom treatment. Rosenbaum also explains research efforts to find a preventative drug, modern surgical options, and hopes for stem cell or gene therapy. In this work, Rosenbaum blends historical and medical research with illustrations from the patients in his professional life, and from his dad on the homefront, to give us a clear and comprehensive understanding of Parkinson's. He also includes writing from and attention to well-known individuals affected by this disorder--among them actor Michael J. Fox.