The therapeutic options for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurodegenerative and traumatic diseases such as spinal cord injury, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease, etc. , have undergone enormous progress over recent years. Despite these encouraging developments, available therapies are only partially effective, and the ultimate goal is still far from being attained. Improved understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms of the pathogenesis of neurodegeneration and demyelination has led to a variety of new therapeutic targets and approaches. In addition to modulation of the in?ammatory process (MS) and cl- sical neuroprotection (stroke, AD), therapeutic approaches focussing on active remyelinization and neuronal regeneration have become incre- ingly important. Based on current concepts, this book summarizes new therapeutic approaches. Although it was once thought that the central nervous system (CNS) of mammals was incapable of substantial recovery from injury, it is now clear that the adult CNS remains responsive to various substances that can promote cell survival and stimulate axonal growth. Among these substances are growth factors, including the neurotrophins and cytokines. Stem cell therapies for the induction of remyelinization and neuroregeneration are reviewed. The potential role of a protective - munity in the induction of remyelination and neuroregeneration is also discussed. Different gene therapy approaches for the treatment of MS VI Preface and other neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and spinal cord injury, etc. , are also summarized.

Flavour is arguably the most fascinating aspect of eating and drinking. It utilises a complex variety of senses and processes, that incredibly work together to generate a unified, and hopefully pleasurable, experience. The processes involved are not just those involved in tasting at the time of eating, but also memory and learning processes - we obviously shun those foods of which we have a negative memory, and favour those we enjoy. Our understanding of the science of flavour has improved in recent years, benefiting psychology, cuisine, food science, oenology, and dietetics.
This book describes what is known about the psychology and biology of flavour. Written by an authority in the field, it is divided into two parts. The first explores what we know about the flavour system; including the role of learning and memory in flavour perception and hedonics; the way in which all the senses that contribute to flavour interact, and our ability to perceive flavour as a whole and as a series of parts. The later chapters examine a range of theoretical issues concerning the flavour system. This includes a look at multisensory processing, and the way in which the mind and brain bind information from discrete sensory systems. It also examines the broader implications of studying flavour for societal problems such as obesity. Written in an accessible style, that assumes little prior knowledge of the field, the book will be valuable for psychologists interested in perception, neuroscientists, food scientists, and dieticians.

In the past decades, interdisciplinary investigations overlapping biology, medicine, information science, and engineering have formed a very exciting and active field that attracts scientists, medical doctors, and engineers with knowledge in different domains. A few examples of such investigations include neural prosthetic implants that aim to improve the quality of life for patients suffering from neurologic disease and injury; brain machine interfaces that sense, analyze, and translate electrical signals from the brain to build closed-loop, biofeedback systems; and fundamental studies of intelligence, cognitive functions, and psychological behaviors correlated to their neurological basis. Although this interdisciplinary area is still in its infancy, it can potentially create some of the most significant impact: treating diseases that are considered untreatable, interpretation and communication of neuron ensembles, or even a revolutionary perception and understanding of life different from philosophical or immaterial approaches. Fortunately, several academic societies recognize the value and impact of this growing field, firmly supporting related research. Such support will drive a booming future in the next twenty or thirty years.

Research in this areais frequently project-driven, and the generated knowledge has been scattered in different fields of neuroscience, computation, material and technology, circuits and system, clinical reports, and psychology the scope considerably across the boundary of traditionally defined disciplines. "Neural Computation, Neural Devices, and Neural Prosthesis" is intended to assemble such knowledge, from there suggesting a systematic approach guiding future educational and research activities. The targeted audience includes both students and researchers.
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The role of experience is crucial in the development of the nervous system. The definition of experience includes neural activity, hormonal environment, and social interactions, as well as exposure to sensory stimuli. There are a variety of organism-environment interactions that guide the development of the nervous system. There is evidence that early sensory experiences enhance brain development and make for a more intelligent adult. A common theme throughout the book is the biological mechanism of early experiential influences in neural development. The book covers three stages of development: (1) embryonic or perinatal manipulations; (2) manipulations early after birth or hatching; (3) major periods of transformation in the organism's life. The first stimuli felt by an organism is at the embryonic stage. For example, the expression of prenatal reflexes and movements regulates the life and death of developing neurons and is necessary for the normal development of the nervous system. Another example is the sensory system, the development of which starts before the organism has any sensory input. Furthermore, interactions between a pregnant or nursing female and her environment can influence the environment experienced by her offspring. As regards the organism's development right after birth, evidence suggests that sensory deprivation of a particular system may lead to the death of its neurons. Experiments have been conducted on the olfactory bulb in the rodent and chick auditory systems. The major periods of transformation refer to clear changes in neural structure and function. One of the most extraordinary transformations observed in developing organisms is metamorphosis. During thisstage, some neurons may die, others alter their anatomy, take on a new function, and die at a later time. In some organisms, an entirely new sensory epithelium is formed, while in others, learned behavioral changes become biologically possible due to growth of cells that comprise a neural circuit.

This book aims to understand human cognition and psychology through a comprehensive computational theory of the human mind, namely, a computational "cognitive architecture" (or more specifically, the CLARION cognitive architecture). The goal of this work is to develop a unified framework for understanding the human mind, and within the unified framework, to develop process-based, mechanistic explanations of a large variety of psychological phenomena. Specifically, the book first describes the essential CLARION framework and its cognitive-psychological justifications, then its computational instantiations, and finally its applications to capturing, simulating, and explaining various psychological phenomena and empirical data. The book shows how the models and simulations shed light on psychological mechanisms and processes through the lens of a unified framework. In fields ranging from cognitive science, to psychology, to artificial intelligence, and even to philosophy, researchers, graduate and undergraduate students, and practitioners of various kinds may have interest in topics covered by this book. The book may also be suitable for seminars or courses, at graduate or undergraduate levels, on cognitive architectures or cognitive modeling (i.e. computational psychology).

This contributed volume provides a comprehensive assessment of the roles played by 5-HT2B receptors in humans. These receptors have been shown to play an important role is the cardiac, intestinal, and central nervous systems as well as in bone marrow formation and growth. In this book, expert researchers present their findings on molecular and physiological/pathological aspects of 5-HT2B receptors. The molecular section includes a discussion of the genetics of 5-HT2B receptors and impulse control. The physiological section covers their role in many biological systems including the nervous system, the heart, and the lungs.

An all-in-one guide for helping caregivers of individuals with brain injury or degenerative disease to address speech, language, voice, memory, and swallowing impairment and to distinguish these problem areas from healthy aging. Advances in science mean that people are more likely to survive a stroke or live for many years after being diagnosed with a degenerative disease such as Parkinson's. But the communication deficits that often accompany a brain injury or chronic neurologic condition-including problems with speech, language, voice, memory, and/or swallowing-can severely impact quality of life. If you are a caregiver coping with these challenges, this all-in-one book can help you and your loved one. Written by a team of experts in speech-language pathology, each chapter focuses on a different aspect of caregiving and features relatable patient examples. Providing answers to common questions, definitions of complex medical terms, and lists of helpful resources, this book also: * touches on expected, age-related changes in communication, memory, swallowing, and hearing abilities, to name a few * offers practical strategies for caregivers to cope with speech, language, and voice problems and to maximize their loved one's ability to communicate * reveals how caregivers can assist their loved ones with swallowing challenges to maintain good nutrition and hydration * provides crucial information on how caregivers can handle grief and take care of themselves during the caregiving process * explains how to incorporate the arts, as well as a loved one's hobbies and interests, into their communication or memory recovery This comprehensive book will allow readers to take a more informed and active role in their loved one's care. Contributors: Marissa Barrera, Frederick DiCarlo, Lea Kaploun, Elizabeth Roberts, Teresa Signorelli Pisano

This book has the unique intention of returning the mathematical tools of neural networks to the biological realm of the nervous system, where they originated a few decades ago. It aims to introduce, in a didactic manner, two relatively recent developments in neural network methodology, namely recurrence in the architecture and the use of spiking or integrate-and-fire neurons. In addition, the neuro-anatomical processes of synapse modification during development, training, and memory formation are discussed as realistic bases for weight-adjustment in neural networks. While neural networks have many applications outside biology, where it is irrelevant precisely which architecture and which algorithms are used, it is essential that there is a close relationship between the network's properties and whatever is the case in a neuro-biological phenomenon that is being modelled or simulated in terms of a neural network. A recurrent architecture, the use of spiking neurons and appropriate weight update rules contribute to the plausibility of a neural network in such a case. Therefore, in the first half of this book the foundations are laid for the application of neural networks as models for the various biological phenomena that are treated in the second half of this book. These include various neural network models of sensory and motor control tasks that implement one or several of the requirements for biological plausibility.

This detailed volume reflects the considerable new developments that have taken place in the area of applied neurogenomics, particularly with the rapid progress in next generation sequencing. Beginning with an introduction to the technologies relevant to neurogenomics with an emphasis on next generation sequencing, the book also covers detailed methods relevant to the genomics of neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Alzheimer's disease and Huntington's disease, targeted sequencing of psychiatric disorders, as well as the role of genomics in the development of personalized neurology. Written in the popular Neuromethods series format, chapters provide the kind of practical description and implementation advice necessary to consistently produce successful results in the lab. Timely and convenient, Applied Neurogenomics serves as an invaluable reference for researchers working in this expanding, dynamic field.

Thinking and reasoning, long the academic province of philosophy, have over the past century emerged as core topics of empirical investigation and theoretical analysis in the modern fields of cognitive psychology, cognitive science, and cognitive neuroscience. Formerly seen as too complicated and amorphous to be included in early textbooks on the science of cognition, the study of thinking and reasoning has since taken off, brancing off in a distinct direction from the field from which it originated.
The Oxford Handbook of Thinking and Reasoning is a comprehensive and authoritative handbook covering all the core topics of the field of thinking and reasoning. Written by the foremost experts from cognitive psychology, cognitive science, and cognitive neuroscience, individual chapters summarize basic concepts and findings for a major topic, sketch its history, and give a sense of the directions in which research is currently heading. Chapters include introductions to foundational issues and methods of study in the field, as well as treatment of specific types of thinking and reasoning and their application in a broad range of fields including business, education, law, medicine, music, and science. The volume will be of interest to scholars and students working in developmental, social and clinical psychology, philosophy, economics, artificial intelligence, education, and linguistics.

"The Lateral Line System "provides an overview of the key concepts and issues surrounding the development, evolution, neurobiology, and function of the lateral line, a fascinating yet somewhat enigmatic flow-sensing system. The book examines the historical precedence for linking the auditory and lateral line systems, its structure and development, use of the lateral line system of zebrafish as a model system, physical principles governing the response properties of the lateral line, the behavioral relevance of this sensory system to the lives of fish, and an examination of how this information is shaped and encoded by the peripheral and central nervous systems.

Contents

The Gems of the Past: A Brief History of Lateral Line Research in the Context of the Hearing Sciences - Sheryl Coombs and Horst Bleckmann

Morphological Diversity, Development, and Evolution of the Mechanosensory Lateral Line System - Jacqueline F. Webb

The Hydrodynamic of Flow Stimuli - Matthew J. McHenry and James C. Liao

The Biophysics of the Fish Lateral Line - Sietse M. van Netten and Matthew J. McHenry

Sensory Ecology and Neuroethology of the Lateral Line - John Montgomery, Horst Bleckmann, and Sheryl Coombs

Information Encoding and Processing by the Peripheral Lateral Line System - Boris Philippe Chagnaud and Sheryl Coombs

The Central Nervous Organization of the Lateral Line System - Mario F. Wullimann and Benedikt Grothe

Central Processing of Lateral Line Information - Horst Bleckmann and Joachim Mogdans

Functional Overlap and Nonoverlap Between Lateral Line and Auditory Systems - Christopher B. Braun and Olav Sand

The Hearing Loss, Protection, and Regeneration in the Larval Zebrafish Lateral Line- Allison B. Coffin, Heather Brignull, David W. Raible, and Edwin W Rubel"

Animal Cognition and Sequential Behavior: Behavioral, Biological, and Computational Perspectives brings together psychologists studying cognitive skill in animal and human subjects, connectionist theorists, and neuroscientists who have a common interest in understanding function and dysfunction in the realm of complex cognitive behavior. In this volume, discussion focuses on behavioral, cognitive, psychobiological, and computational approaches to understanding the integration of ongoing behavior, with particular attention to models of timing and the organization of sequential behavior.

New high throughput techniques in neuroscience and psychiatry have enhanced the development of experimental, customizable animal models that are predictive of human neuropsychiatric pathology and give vital insights on the mechanisms and pathways involved. In "Psychiatric Disorders: Methods and Protocols," key experts have written integrated chapters on neuropsychiatric research sharing their insightful expertise and opinions focusing on both the animal models as well as the cutting edge techniques applied. Beginning with an overview of the animal research in psychiatric illness and substance abuse, this comprehensive volume continues with the modeling of neuropsychiatric illness, drug abuse paradigms and techniques, biomarker identification, autoimmune inflammatory response, and neuroendocrine alteration in the areas of psychiatry, as well as state-of-the-art ""Omics" approaches" and neurosystems biology/data mining techniques to compute and analyze genomic and proteomics alteration occurring within neuropsychiatric models. As a part of the highly successful "Methods in Molecular Biology " series, chapters include 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.

Thorough and easily applicable, "Psychiatric Disorders: Methods and Protocols" offers the detailed and clearly illustrated tools necessary for neuroscientists and psychiatrists to handle many unanswered scientific questions with a more creative and insightful approach."

Analysis of the neural tissue presents unique and peculiar technical problems encountered in everyday bench work. Numerous books dealing with cellular and molecular protocols for general use in cell biology are available, but few are specifically devoted exclusively to neurobiology. Moreover, the "cross-talk" between researchers with different backgrounds, i.e. histologists, cell and molecular biologists and physiologists, is still quite difficult, and very often one remains somehow "confined" to his or her own specific field of expertise never daring to explore "mysterious" lands unless having the support of a big laboratory beyond. The general idea beyond this project was to put together the contributions from a number of well-known neuroscientists to produce a book that offers a survey of the most updated techniques for the study of nerve cells. After a long time spent doing research in the neuroscience field, and having acquired a good technical background in certain specific fields of neurobiology we have realized how difficult is to be able to step into a different technology. This book endeavors to assist in that goal.

Traditionally, neuroscience and public health have been considered strange bedfellows. Now a new collection of studies shows the two fields as logical collaborators with major potential for the evolution of both fields.

"Social Neuroscience and Public Health" assembles current theoretical viewpoints, research findings in familiar and emerging areas, and updates on assessment methods to give readers a unique in-depth guide to the social brain and its central role in health promotion. This stimulating reference spans the intersection of two disciplines, offering new insights into the mechanics of risks, rewards, and willpower, revisiting the developmental effects of adversity and the impact of exercise on brain health, and applying epidemiology to cognitive science. Accessibly written for researchers and professionals within and outside both fields, the chapters include bullet-point and policy implication features for ease of retention. The book's innovative ideas lend themselves to a variety of applications, from fine-tuning disease prevention strategies to deeper understanding of addictions. Included in the coverage:

Latest theoretical perspectives on health behavior (e.g., picoeconomics, MCII, and temporal self-regulation theory)Updates on health communications and their effects on the brain.New research on cognitive resources and health behavior execution.Leading-edge studies on the brain, the social world, and stress.Findings from the forefront of exercise neuroscience.A concise introduction to neuroscience methods for the non-technical reader.

A rich resource pointing to a promising future in research and prevention efforts, "Social Neuroscience and Public Health" benefits professionals and researchers in public health, medicine, cognitive neuroscience, health psychology, epidemiology, sociology and affiliated fields."

ELLIOTT M. BLASS Fifteen years have passed since the first volume on developmental psychobiology (Blass, 1986) appeared in this series and 13 since the publication of the second volume (Blass, 1988). These volumes documented the status of the broad domain of scientific inquiry called developmental psychobiology and were also written with an eye to the future. The future has been revolutionary in at least three ways. First, there was the demise of a descriptive ethology as we had known it, to be replaced first by sociobiology and later by its more sophisticated versions based on quantitative predictions of social interactions that reflected relatedness and inclu sive fitness. Second, there was the emergence of cognitive science, including cogni tive development, as an enormously strong and interactive multidisciplinary effort. Making the "functional" brain more accessible made this revolution all the more relevant to our discipline. In the laboratory, immunocytochemical detection of immediate / early genes, such as los, now allows us to trace neuronal circuits activated during complex behaviors. The "functional" brain of primates, especially humans, was also made very accessible through neuroimaging with which we can look at and into brains as they solve and attempt to solve particular tasks. Those of us who were trained in neurology as graduate students two or three decades ago recognize only the people in white coats and patients in beds or on gurneys when we visit neurologi cal units today. The rest is essentially new."

Folding for the Synapse addresses the current view on how protein folding and misfolding, controlled by molecular chaperones, contribute to synapse function and dysfunction. Molecular chaperones have been studied in relation to de novo protein folding, but there is increasing awareness that chaperone function is required for the regulation of protein dynamics when functioning physiologically as an isolated moiety or part of a protein complex. This book will introduce both important concepts of folding machineries and give examples of the biological relevance of further chaperone functions.

The marsupials are an important order of mammals that have evolved along lines parallel to eutherians. This book brings together what is known about one very important sense needed for survival - hearing. It documents various studies of the hearing capacities of marsupials and relates this information to their vocal behavior. To what sounds do marsupials respond? What are the spectra of their vocalizations? The organization of the brain auditory pathways of marsupials is compared with those of eutherian mammals and related to the structure of the auditory periphery. The fact that much of the early development of marsupial young occurs outside the mother's body enables the possibility of discoveries about the early development of brain and hearing relevant to all mammals.

Anesthetics produce a reversible state of unconsciousness accompanied by ante- grade amnesia. This remarkable phenomenon brings great relief to surgical patients and wonder to clinicians and scientists. To date, we do not fully understand the mechanisms by which anesthetics ablate conscious sensation and memory. We are, however, making progress. This book presents original results as well as overviews of the current state of knowledge of the problem. It is authored by investigators who know the ?eld well; their research at a number of levels has contributed substantially to our c- rent understanding of anesthetic modulation of memory and consciousness. Most of the contributors were presenters at two workshops organized by Dr. Pearce and Dr. Hudetz at the 40th Annual Winter Conference on Brain Research, held at Snowmass Village, Colorado, from January 27 through February 2, 2007. One workshop focused on anesthetic modulation of consciousness and another on an- thetic modulation of memory. Seven of the chapters are based on material presented at these symposia - appropriately updated with new relevant ?ndings. This infor- tion is supplemented by chapters on anesthesia and sleep, computational analysis of the state of anesthesia, and the clinical phenomenon of "anesthesia awareness," a topic that has recently received much public attention. With these three additional contributions, the book thus includes 10 chapters.

In this thesis, the author investigates the biophysical basis of the local field potential (LFP) as a way of gaining a better understanding of its underlying physiological mechanisms. The results represent major advances in our understanding and interpretation of LFPs and brain oscillations. They highlight the importance of using suitable experimental and analytical methods to explore the activity of brain circuits and point to the LFP as a useful, but complex variable for this purpose.

This unique textbook explores core cognitive psychology topics from an innovative new perspective, focusing on key real-world issues to show how we understand and experience the world. The book examines compelling topics such as creativity, problem-solving, reasoning, rationality and language, all within the context of modern 21st century life. Each chapter demonstrates how this vibrant and constantly evolving discipline is at the heart of some of the biggest issues facing us all today. The last chapter discusses the future of cognitive psychology, which includes guidance on conducting rigorous, replicable research and how to use skills from cognitive psychology to be an effective student. Packed with pedagogical features, each chapter includes boxed examples of cognitive psychology in the real world and engaging ‘try it yourself’ features. Each chapter also includes objectives, a range of illustrative figures, chapter summaries, key readings and a glossary for ease of use. The book is fully supported by original online resources for students and instructors. Offering a new model for the study of cognitive psychology that brings the subject alive, the book is essential reading for all students studying psychology and related disciplines.

This book honors Naomi Weisstein's foreshortened span of work published from 1964 to 1992. Naomi Weisstein was a pioneer in the areas we now call visual neuroscience, visual cognition, and cognitive neuroscience. Her enthusiastic pursuit of the mind was infectious, inspiring many others to take up the challenge. Despite her time as an active researcher being cut short, Weisstein's impact was far reaching and long lasting, and many of her ideas and insights foreshadowed today's active areas of inquiry into the inner workings of the mind. Comprising contributions from leading scholars in the field, Pioneer Visual Neuroscience outlines Weisstein's many contributions to the study of visual perception and processing and their effects on the field today. This volume will be of interest to anyone interested in visual perception, visual cognition, and cognitive neuroscience.

The idea of a disjunctive theory of visual experiences first found expression in J.M. Hinton's pioneering 1973 book Experiences. In the first monograph in this exciting area since then, William Fish develops a comprehensive disjunctive theory, incorporating detailed accounts of the three core kinds of visual experience--perception, hallucination, and illusion--and an explanation of how perception and hallucination could be indiscriminable from one another without having anything in common. In the veridical case, Fish contends that the perception of a particular state of affairs involves the subject's being acquainted with that state of affairs, and that it is the subject's standing in this acquaintance relation that makes the experience possess a phenomenal character. Fish argues that when we hallucinate, we are having an experience that, while lacking phenomenal character, is mistakenly supposed by the subject to possess it. Fish then shows how this approach to visual experience is compatible with empirical research into the workings of the brain and concludes by extending this treatment to cover the many different types of illusion that we can be subject to.