InjuryInduced Release of Excitatory Amino Acids: Excitatory Amino Acid Release after Focal Cerebral Ischemia (R. Bullock et al.). The Role of Glutamatergic Receptor in Brain Injury: Dizocilpine (MK801) in Cerebral Ischemia (R.N. Auer). The Role of Monoamines in Brain Injury: Role of Nigrostriatal Projections in the Vulnerability of the Striatum (A. Buisson et al.). The Role of Steroids, Adenosine, GABA, and Acetylcholine in Brain Injury: The Role of Glucocorticoids in Ischemic Cell Death (J.N. Davis et al.). Intracellular Messengers and Brain Injury: Changes in Gene Expression after Transient Ischemia as Potential Markers for Excitotoxic Pathology (T.S. Nowak et al.). Blood Brain Barrier in Brain Injury: Ultrastructural Studies of Endothelium in NMDAInduced Excitotoxicity (S. Nag). Neurotransmitter Modulation of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism. Neurotransmitters and Free Radical Mediated Injury. 51 additional articles. Index.

Never in history has there been greater hope that novel experimental therapies can support significant restoration of brain function. The field of restorative therapies in Parkinson's disease has passed the initial phase of pioneering experimental and clinical trials. There still does not exist restorative therapy that can be applied in large numbers of patients, but the initial trials have provided us with fundamental insight into the potential for plasticity in the diseased brain. This book gives an overview of the current state-of-the-art research for brain repair, what the challenges are and an indication of what research can provide for the next generation of people with Parkinson's disease.

This book illustrates remarkable roles of metal ions in the neuropathophysiology of stroke, which is a major cause of death and disability worldwide. Metal ions have unique chemical properties that allow them to play diverse roles in the brain. They regulate excitability and function as co-factors in cellular and genetic signaling pathways and therefore, have important roles ranging from essential to toxic. For the first time, the dyshomeostasis and pathophysiological actions of these metals in stroke are discussed systematically in thirty-six chapters in one volume. Highlighted metal ions include: Aluminum (Al) Arsenic (As) Cadmium (Cd) Calcium (Ca) Copper (Cu) Iron (Fe) Magnesium (Mg) Manganese (Mn) Mercury (Hg) Nickel (Ni) Potassium (K) Selenium (Se) Sodium (Na) Zinc (Zn)

The Springer Handbook of Auditory Research presents a series of comprehensive and synthetic reviews of the fundamental topics in modern auditory research. The v- umes are aimed at all individuals with interests in hearing research including advanced graduate students, post-doctoral researchers, and clinical investigators. The volumes are intended to introduce new investigators to important aspects of hearing science and to help established investigators to better understand the fundamental theories and data in fields of hearing that they may not normally follow closely. Each volume presents a particular topic comprehensively, and each serves as a synthetic overview and guide to the literature. As such, the chapters present neither exhaustive data reviews nor original research that has not yet appeared in pe- reviewed journals. The volumes focus on topics that have developed a solid data and conceptual foundation rather than on those for which a literature is only beg- ning to develop. New research areas will be covered on a timely basis in the series as they begin to mature.

The main purpose of this book is to present emerging neuroimaging data in order to define the role of primary and secondary structural and hemodynamic disturbances in different phases of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and to analyze the potential of diffusion tensor MRI, tractography and CT perfusion imaging in evaluating the dynamics of TBI. The authors present a new MRI classification of brain stem and hemispheric cortical/subcortical damage localization that is of significant prognostic value. New data are provided regarding the pathogenesis and dynamics of diffuse and focal brain injuries and qualitative and quantitative changes in the brain white matter tracts. It is shown that diffuse axonal injury can be considered a clinical model of multidimensional "split brain" with commissural, association and projection fiber disorders. The book will be of interest for neuroradiologists, neurosurgeons, neurologists and others with an interest in the subject.

In this new volume in the series Research and Perspectives in Neurosciences the authors have presented and discussed their findings in the fields of speech and language disorders, X-linked mental retardation, gene therapy in the CNS, memory and learning disorders and other fields.

Withtherecentlyperceivedincreaseinincidenceofautismandtherealizationthat "autism"mayactuallybe"autisms"withsubsetsofaffectedindividuals,researchers have been pursuing the possibility that there may be multiple etiologies for the disorder.Althoughmostautismstudieshavefocusedongeneticsandadvancedn- roimaging,thereisapaucityofresearchaimedatdeterminingtheneurochemical basisofautism.Identifyingcoreneuralsubstratesorkeybiomarkersisessentialto understandingthemechanisticbasisthatmayinpartunderlie"autisms."Alterations inmolecules,proteins,receptors,andsynapticelementsaresomeofthecontrib- ingsubstratesthatcouldresultinaltereddevelopmentalprocesses,changedsynaptic function,andaberrationsinconnectivity.Itisnowapparentthatmultiplebrainareas are affected in autism, and neuropathological defects have been described within corticalandsubcorticalnetworks.Althoughrecentprogresshasbeenmadeinid- tifyingsomeofthegenesthatmayunderliethedisorder,muchattentionhasalso beengiventoepigeneticand/orenvironmentalfactorsthatmaycontributetosubsets ofautisticindividuals. The contributors to this book were hand selected because of their expertise in their respective ?elds. Individually each chapter presents a unique perspective into the clinical, developmental, neurochemical, and/or physical chemical basis of autism. The contributing authors summarize current research ?ndings in their respective areas and also present novel ideas and propose hypotheses and p- sible mechanisms that may be operative during development and the potential consequencesofhavingdefectsinspeci?cmolecules,receptors,orgenes. Thesubtitle"FromMoleculestoMinicolumns"wasinsertedbecauseofmuch recent attention given to alterations in the basic organization of mini- or mic- columns of neurons in cerebral cortical areas in autism. These especially include prefrontalcorticalareasthatundergoanovergrowthduringearlypostnataldevel- mentinmanyindividualswithautism.Tothisend,theworldrenownedDr.Alan Peters,theneuroanatomistthatoriginallydescribedmini-ormicro-columnaror- nizationinthecerebralcortex,wasrecruitedtowriteachapterinthisbookgiving hisexpertperspectiveontheissueinautism. The book begins with highly respected clinician, Dr. Margaret L. Bauman, DirectoroftheLADDERSclinicintheBostonarea,withaclinicalandmedicalp- spectiveofautismdiscussingetiologies,clinicalpresentation,earlyidenti?cation, vii viii Preface advancementsinmedicalcare,andassociateddisorders. Inthechapter"TheMale Prevalence in Autism Spectrum Disorders: Hypotheses on its Neurobiological Basis",ItalianresearchersDrs.FlavioKellerandLilianaRutapresentneuroch- ical hypotheses as the basis for the predominance of male prevalence in autism discussing the possible roles of estrogen, testosterone, oxytocin, and vasopressin in the organization of brain circuits and hemispheric specialization. Psychiatrist Dr. Ricardo Vella relates neuropathologies in autism, in the limbic and cereb- lar regions, to speci?c behaviors and presents a developmental perspective and hypotheses regarding emotional and attachment behaviors in autistic individuals.

An incisive and deeply candid account that explores autistic women in culture, myth, and society through the prism of the author's own diagnosis. Until the 1980s, autism was regarded as a condition found mostly in boys. Even in our time, autistic girls and women have largely remained invisible. When portrayed in popular culture, women on the spectrum often appear simply as copies of their male counterparts - talented and socially awkward. Yet autistic women exist, and always have. They are varied in their interests and in their experiences. Autism may be relatively new as a term and a diagnosis, but not as a way of being and functioning in the world. It has always been part of the human condition. So who are these women, and what does it mean to see the world through their eyes? In The Autists, Clara Toernvall reclaims the language to describe autism and explores the autistic experience in arts and culture throughout history. From popular culture, films, and photography to literature, opera, and ballet, she dares to ask what it might mean to re-read these works through an autistic lens - what we might discover if we allow perspectives beyond the neurotypical to take centre stage.

This book is a representative survey of the current status of the structure, function, regulation and molecular pharmacology of Neurotransmitter Transporters. It provides an overview of insights generated in the past five years. The volume serves as a useful compendium of current concepts and an inspiring starting point. It is a source for students interested in this emerging field as well as for experienced scientists looking for an update.

This monograph highlights modern concepts of brain ischemia and strategies of neuroprotective therapy. The first part of the book is devoted to mechanisms of ischemic brain damage. The authors present the results of their own clinical and experimental studies conducted in the last two decades, as well as the achievements of native and foreign neurological researches that open a new stage in understanding how reversible changes of blood flow and metabolism are transformed into a permanent morphological lesion, i.e. brain infarction. The most important advances in areas of ischemic energy failure, main mechanisms of the glutamate-calcium cascade, influence of metabolic acidosis on ischemic damage, delayed neuronal death connected with microglial activation, local inflammation, autoimmune reactions, trophic dysfunction, and apoptosis, as well as of reaction of the stress-mediating endocrine system to focal brain ischemia are shown in animals and humans, and the relevant literature is cited and critiqued. The book also explores topics that recently have experienced substantial growth, such as gene expression and subsequent molecular events in response to acute brain ischemia, connected with both tissue damage and reparation. The authors demonstrate not only universal features of the process of brain ischemia, but also individual peculiarities of its course in patients and analyse their reasons.

The modern strategies of neuroprotective therapy are disclosed in the second part of the book. The review of main neuroprotectors' studies performed under both experimental (in vitro and in vivo) and clinical conditions, as well as results of the authors' own investigations of original Russianneuroprotectors are presented.

The book's balanced demonstration of progress in the field of fundamental researches in patients with ischemic stroke and in experimental models of acute brain ischemia is valuable for clinicians (neurologists, cardiologists, neurosurgeons), as well as for basic scientists and research trainees.

By consolidating forty years of Zigler's research with the work of other major researchers in the field of personality, this book provides a single resource for students, researchers, and professionals working in the field of mental retardation. The basic focus is that although cognitive impairment is a defining feature, personality, emotions, and motivation play a significant role in the behavior of individuals with mental retardation. The comprehensive overview of the theory, research, and practical considerations provided in this book has relevance in identifying, educating, and integrating mentally retarded individuals into society.

The developing of in vivo neuroscience techniques is rapidly improving the specificity and sensitivity of measurements of brain function. However, despite improvements in individual methods, it is becoming increasingly clear that the most effective research approaches will be multi-modal. Thus, it is the researchers who are familiar with many in vivo techniques who will be able to make the most substantial contributions to our understanding of dynamic brain function. In Dynamic Brain Imaging: Multi-Modal Methods and In Vivo Applications, leading experts specializing in magnetic resonance, electrophysiology, and optical imaging methods explain basic principles of their respective techniques and demonstrate their power in depicting functional activation patterns en route to a basic understanding of the dynamic processes underlying various neuroimaging signals. The novel results, from various species, provide a new understanding of dynamics of neural activity that span a wide spatiotemporal range. Numerous cutting-edge applications are used as examples to illustrate enticing possibilities of combining techniques toward studies of normal function and disease. Exclusive examples of dynamic functional imaging of the cerebral cortex, olfactory bulb, and retina are used to demonstrate the effectiveness of each method for applications to the neurosciences. State-of-the-art techniques described include multi-photon optical imaging, multi-array electrical recordings, heteronuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and functional magnetic resonance imaging. Up-to-date and user-friendly, Dynamic Brain Imaging: Multi-Modal Methods and In Vivo Applications is designed to be accessible to both specialist neurophysiologists and general neuroscientists. It reviews the fundamental, theoretical, and practical principles of magnetic resonance, electrophysiology, and optical methods as applied in the neurosciences and shows how these tools can be used

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 formed on the basis of a week of lively discussions between curious PhD students and leading research experts during the summer school on neurorehabilitation (SSNR2012), September 16-21 in Nuevalos, Zaragoza (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 covers various aspects of neurorehabilitation research and practice, organized into different parts. The first part discusses a selection of common impairments affecting brain function, such as stroke, cerebral palsy and Parkinson's disease; the second deals with both spinal cord and brain plasticity. The third part covers the most recent rehabilitation and diagnostics technologies, including robotics, neuroprostheses, brain-machine interfaces and electromyography systems. Practical examples and case studies related to the application of some of the latest techniques in realistic clinical scenarios are covered in the fourth part.

Since the early 1940s, when first identified as childhood psychosis and autistic psychopathy, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has continued to burgeon into a major focus of inquiry and interest among researchers, practitioners, and the public alike. With each passing decade, the number of scholarly articles addressing ASD and related disabilities continues to soar. Today, thousands of papers on autism are published annually across various disciplines and journals, making it challenging - if not impossible - to keep pace with, let alone synthesize, all the latest developments. Based on a solid historical foundation of autism theory and research, the International Handbook of Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorders integrates the broad scholarly base of literature with a trenchant analysis of the state of the field in nosology, etiology, assessment, and treatment. Its expert contributors examine recent findings and controversies (e.g., how prevalent autism actually is), along with longstanding topics of interest as well as emerging issues. Coverage includes: A survey of diagnostic criteria and assessment strategies. Genetic, behavioral, biopsychosocial, and cognitive models. Psychiatric disorders in persons with ASD. Theory of mind and facial recognition. Diagnostic instruments for assessing core features and challenging behaviors. Evidence-based psychosocial, pharmacological, and integrative treatments. Interventions specifically for adults with ASD. Training issues for professionals and parents. A review of findings of successful and promising therapies, coupled with guidance on how to distinguish between dubious and effective treatments. The International Handbook of Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorders is an indispensable resource for researchers, professors, graduate students, and allied practitioners in clinical child and school psychology, child and adolescent psychiatry, education, social work, rehabilitation, pediatric medicine, and developmental psychology.

N eurotoxicology is a broad and burgeoning field of research. Its growth in recent years can be related, in part, to increased interest in and concern with the fact that a growing number of anthropogenic agents with neurotoxic potential, including pesticides, 1ead, mercury, and the polytypic byproducts of combustion and industrial production, continue to be spewed into and accumulate in the environment. In addition, there is great interest in natural products, including toxins, as sources of therapeutic agents. Indeed, it is well known that many natural toxins ofbroadly differing structure, produced or accumulated for predatory or defensive purposes, and toxic agents, accumulated incidentalIy by numerous species, function to perturb nervous tissue. Components of some of these toxins have been shown to be useful therapeutic agents and/or research reagents. Unfor of some neurotoxicants of anthropogenic ori tunately, the environmental accumulation gin, expecialIy pesticides and metals, has resulted in incidents ofhuman poisoning, some of epidemic proportion, and high levels of morbidity and mortality. Furthermore, an increasing incidence of neurobehavioral disorders, some with baffling symptoms, is confronting clinicians. It is not clear whether this is merely the re suit of increased vigi lance and/or improved diagnostics or a consequence of improved health care. In any case, the role of exposure to environmental and occupational neurotoxicants in the etiology of these phenomena, as well as neurodegenerative diseases, is coming under increasing scrutiny and investigation.

Detection of Change: Event-Related Potential and fMRI Findings presents the first systematic overview of how event-related brain potential (ERP), cognitive electroencephalography (EEG), and functional magnetic imaging (fMRI) measures reflect the mental events arising from changes in sensory stimulation. Reviews by leading experts provide clarifying introductory background material that is well integrated with the cogently collated findings. Topics include the empirical and theoretical analysis of mismatch negativity, P300, human lesion studies, and stimulus binding. These areas provide the backdrop for summaries of auditory/visual ERP interactions, the conjoint use of fMRI methods, and neuroelectric processing models of attention and memory. The contents are fresh, the literature distillations highly informative, and the range of topics extremely useful. This book fills a major need by making contemporary results highly assessable to cognitive neuroscientists, psychologists, and researchers interested in the neural underpinnings of how the brain responds to stimulus change.

Vestibular Migraine is a concise monograph that presents the scientific basis for the diagnosis and treatment of this common yet largely unrecognized cause of dizziness. Current knowledge of the features of the condition is described, and clear guidance is provided on the differentiation of vestibular migraine from other conditions that induce dizziness, including Meniere's disease. Symptomatic treatment and the various prophylactic options are discussed and evaluated, and advice is also included on long-term treatment and the circumstances under which treatment should be discontinued. Vestibular Migraine will be of interest to all physicians and other health care providers who deal with dizzy patients, including internists, family physicians, neurologists, otolaryngologists, and trainees in those specialties, as well as nurse practitioners and physician assistants.

A hallmark of neurodegenerative proteinopathies is the formation of misfolded protein aggregates that cause cellular toxicity. Though multiple factors like aging, oxidative stress, gene inconsistency, etc. are responsible for the dysfunction of the protein quality control system, targeting protein quality control has become an auspicious approach to block the propagation of neurodegeneration. Quality Control of Cellular Protein in Neurodegenerative Disorders provides diverse aspects exploring the theoretical and practical methods of protein quality control systems and potential therapeutic approaches to halt the development and propagation of neurodegenerative disorders. Featuring coverage on a broad range of topics such as cellular chaperones, protein folding, and stress signaling, this book is ideally designed for neurobiologists, neuropsychologists, neurophysiologists, medical professionals, neuropathologists, researchers, academicians, students, and practitioners engaged in studies of the protein quality control system in neuronal cells.

Although speech is the primary behavioral medium by which humans communicate, its auditory basis is poorly understood, having profound implications on efforts to ameliorate the behavioral consequences of hearing impairment and on the development of robust algorithms for computer speech recognition. In this volume, the authors provide an up-to-date synthesis of recent research in the area of speech processing in the auditory system, bringing together a diverse range of scientists to present the subject from an interdisciplinary perspective. Of particular concern is the ability to understand speech in uncertain, potentially adverse acoustic environments, currently the bane of both hearing aid and speech recognition technology. There is increasing evidence that the perceptual stability characteristic of speech understanding is due, at least in part, to elegant transformations of the acoustic signal performed by auditory mechanisms. As a comprehensive review of speech's auditory basis, this book will interest physiologists, anatomists, psychologists, phoneticians, computer scientists, biomedical and electrical engineers, and clinicians.

Dr. Elisabeth Bock (Photo Keenpress) This book contains review articles that produce a snapshot of recent developments in the field of the neural cell adhesion molecule NCAM. The chapters are grouped into sections reflecting various aspects of NCAM structure and function. The themes cover the structural basis of cell adhesion mediated by NCAM and NCAM interaction partners, NCAM-mediated signaling determinants of NCAM function under physiological conditions and in disease, and the therapeutic potential of NCAM mimetics. Section 1, "Structure and Ligands of NCAM," introduces the reader to the str- tural basis of NCAM-mediated cell adhesion, discussing the current knowledge of extracellular and intracellular NCAM ligands and the structural basis of NCAM int- actions with the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) receptor. Section 2, "NCAM and Polysialic Acid," focuses on NCAM polysialylation, discussing the structural and functional aspects of the most important posttranslational modifications of NCAM by the addition of a long linear homopolymer of sialic acid to the fifth Ig-like NCAM module. Section 3, "NCAM-mediated Signal Transduction," is devoted to signal v BookID 187530_ChapID FM1_Proof# 1 - 01/03/2011 BookID 187530_ChapID FM1_Proof# 1 - 01/03/2011 vi Preface transduction mechanisms associated with NCAM-mediated adhesion, with a focus on signaling pathways involved in NCAM-mediated neurite outgrowth, the role of growth-associated proteins, signaling through lipid microdomains, and signaling crosstalk with the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor. Section 4, "NCAM Metabolism," focuses on current knowledge about NCAM biosynthesis and the g- eration and role of soluble NCAM.

Currently, there are tremendous advances being made in understanding the basic science of both the structure and function of botulinum neurotoxins. This knowledge is opening up opportunities in regard to both therapeutic uses and treatment and protection options for civil and bio-defense applications. This volume fully evaluates the status of neurotoxin research and exploitation with a focus on clinical application. The book is a multi-authored collection of chapters written by the leading authorities responsible for the current scientific and clinical research that is advancing the understanding and exploitation of the neurotoxins and is both up to date and authoritative.

One of the most striking features of Coordination Dynamics is its interdisciplinary character. The problems we are trying to solve in this field range from behavioral phenomena of interlimb coordination and coordination between stimuli and movements (perception-action tasks) through neural activation patterns that can be observed during these tasks to clinical applications and social behavior. It is not surprising that close collaboration among scientists from different fields as psychology, kinesiology, neurology and even physics are imperative to deal with the enormous difficulties we are facing when we try to understand a system as complex as the human brain.

The chapters in this volume are not simply write-ups of the lectures given by the experts at the meeting but are written in a way that they give sufficient introductory information to be comprehensible and useful for all interested scientists and students.