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Books > Science & Mathematics > Biology, life sciences > Life sciences: general issues > Neurosciences
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.
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.
"Philosophy and the Neurosciences" is the first systematic
integration of philosophy of mind and philosophy of science with
neuroscience research. As philosophers have come to focus more and
more on the relationship between mind and brain, they have had to
take greater account of theory and research in the neurosciences.
Likewise, as neuroscientists have learned more about cognitive
structures and functions, their investigations have expanded and
merged with traditional questions from the philosophy of mind.
By introducing key themes in philosophy of mind, philosophy of science and the fundamental concepts of neuroscience, this text provides philosophers with the necessary background to engage the neurosciences and offers neuroscientists an introduction to the relevant tools of philosophical analysis. Study questions, figures, and references to further reading are provided in each chapter to enhance the reader's understanding of how philosophy and the neurosciences are related in their exploration of the human mind.
This book throws a penetrating light on the life and work of the physiologist turned neurologist G.G.J. Rademaker against the background of flourishing clinical research in the Netherlands of the early twentieth century. It charts the rise and fall of the branch of experimental neurophysiology of which Rademaker was a master, which was transmitted from Charles Sherrington in England to Rudolf Magnus at Utrecht and then to Rademaker, Magnus's most talented pupil. Reaching its apogee in the 1920s and 1930s, it was replaced after World War II by other less invasive approaches. This biography is a fitting memorial to a man who, though somewhat neglected in his own land, was recognised as a genius by his peers worldwide.
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.
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."
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).
Human Performance in Complex Systems introduces readers to the theory of complex systems, examining the role of humans within larger systems and the factors that affect human performance. Sections review the history of one particularly fruitful approach to complexity, providing an overview of complexity science that also discusses our current understanding of complex systems in a variety of domains, including physical, biological, mechanical and organizational. The author also introduces the idea that there are similarities between the successful architecture and control of both biological and organizational systems. Case studies concerning failures and successes within complex systems are also included. The book concludes by using the preceding material to develop principles that can be applied for successful design and control of complex systems.
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.
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."
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.
When we walk, drive a car, or fly an airplane, visual motion is
used to control and guide our movement. Optic flow describes the
characteristic pattern of visual motion that arises in these
situations. This book is the first to take an in-depth look at the
neuronal processing strategies that underlie the brain's ability to
analyze and use optic flow for the control of self-motion. It does
so in a variety of species which use optic flow in different
behavioral contexts. The spectrum ranges from flying insects to
birds, higher mammals and man. The contributions cover
physiological and behavioral studies as well as computational
models. Neuronal Processing of Optic Flow provides an authoritative
and comprehensive overview of the current state of research on this
topic written by a group of authors who have made essential
contributions to shaping this field of research over the last ten
years.
Covid-19 and Parkinsonism, Volume 165 in the International Review in Neurobiology series, highlights new advances in the field with this new volume presenting interesting chapters that cover a variety of topics, including Parkinsonism associated with viral infections, Covid-19 and nervous system pathology: bench to bedside, Prevalence of Covid-19 in Parkinson's Disease: acute settings and hospital, Covid-19 and Parkinson's Disease: clinical features, long COVID, Smell deficits in Covid-19 and possible links with Parkinson's Disease, Spotlight on non-motor symptoms and Covid-19, and a Summary of treatment paradigms in Parkinson's Disease patients and Covid-19. Additional sections cover Covid-19 and Parkinson's Disease: nursing care, vaccination, telemedicine services, impact on advanced therapies, Covid-19-induced parkinsonism: Real life phenoconversion cases, Loneliness and impact of lockdown on Parkinson's Disease patients during the Covid-19 pandemic, Parkinson's Disease and Covid-19: Impact of ethnicity and palliative care, and more.
Ion channels are membrane proteins that act as gated pathways for
the movement of ions across cell membranes. They play essential
roles in the physiology of all cells. In recent years, an
ever-increasing number of human and animal diseases have been found
to result from defects in ion channel function. Most of these
diseases arise from mutations in the genes encoding ion channel
proteins, and they are now referred to as the
channelopathies.
It is now widely recognised that biological psychiatry is rapidly
coming into its own. For over the last three decades dramatic
advances in this young discipline have been made, all of which
attest to the staying power of the experimental method. Those who
made this revolution in knowledge happen are a breed of
investigators availing themselves of the tools of molecular
biology, pharmacology, genetics, and perhaps, above all, the
technology of neuroimaging. The introduction of the
interdisciplinary method of approach to the study of
psychopathology had made it very clear that neuroimaging, as a set
of techniques, is unique in that it is gradually providing us with
evidence supporting Kraepelin's original view that mental illness
is closely associated with abnormal changes in the brain.
Shaping the Future of Child and Adolescent Mental Health: Towards Technological Advances and Service Innovations coincides with the 25th International Association for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions (IACAPAP) Congress in Dubai from December 5-9, 2022. There are three overarching themes of this book. Firstly, the impact of the Internet and digital technologies on the mental health and well-being of children and adolescents, including computerized therapies, and the fundamental role of technologies to advance knowledge in the field. Secondly, a theme on harnessing the expansion of knowledge on psychiatric disorders and their treatment for children and adolescents, exemplified by chapters on different kinds of adversity in child and adolescent mental health and a chapter on precision therapeutics. Given the location of the IACAPAP Congress, the third theme focuses on aspects of child and adolescent mental health in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. Chapters provide insights into a broad range of contemporary technology- and service innovation-related topics in child and adolescent psychiatry and mental health. These include growing up in the digital age, cyberbullying, clinical applications of big data and machine learning, computerized cognitive behavioral therapy, technology- enhanced learning, lessons from COVID-19, new understanding of the consequences of psychological trauma, autoimmune encephalitis, and precision therapeutics in depression. Acknowledging the global challenge of child and adolescent psychiatry and mental health, readers will find an emphasis on contextual challenges in the field, including innovations for scaling up of mental health intervention in low- and middle-income countries, and research and training in the Eastern Mediterranean Region.
Is the Ego nothing but our brain? Are our mental and psychological
states nothing but neuronal states of our brain? Though Sigmund
Freud rejected a neuroscientific foundation for psychoanalysis,
recent knowledge in neuroscience has provided novel insights into
the brain and its neuronal mechanisms. This has also shed light on
how the brain itself contributes to the differentiation between
neuronal and psychological states.
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.
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.
This volume brings together various theories of how aberrations in mitochondrial function and morphology contribute to neurodegeneration in idiopathic and familial forms of Parkinson's disease. Moreover, it comprehensively reviews the current search for therapies, and proposes how molecules are involved in specific functions as attractive therapeutic targets. It is expected to facilitate critical thought and discussion about the fundamental aspects of neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease and foster the development of therapeutic strategies among researchers and graduate students. Theories of idiopathic Parkinson's etiology support roles for chronic inflammation and exposure to heavy metals or pesticides. Interestingly, as this project proposes, a case can be made that abnormalities in mitochondrial morphology and function are at the core of each of these theories. In fact, the most common approach to the generation of animal and cell-culture models of idiopathic Parkinson's disease involves exposure to mitochondrial toxins. Even more compelling is the fact that most familial patients harbor genetic mutations that cause disruptions in normal mitochondrial morphology and function. While there remains to be no effective treatment for Parkinson's disease, efforts to postpone, prevent and "cure" onset mitochondrial aberrations and neurodegeneration associated with Parkinson's disease in various models are encouraging. While only about ten percent of Parkinson's patients inherit disease-causing mutations, discovering common mechanisms by which familial forms of Parkinson's disease manifest will likely shed light on the pathophysiology of the more common idiopathic form and provide insight to the general process of neurodegeneration, thus revealing therapeutic targets that will become more and more accessible as technology improves.
After a little more than 20 years since the original discovery of neuropeptide Y (NPY) by Tatemoto and colleagues, the field of NPY research has made remarkable progress and is coming of age.The present volume addresses all major topics in connection with NPY and related peptides by established leaders in their respective areas. Experienced NPY-aficionados will certainly find new and useful additional information in this volume and newcomers to the field will hopefully discover how much exciting research this still has to offer.
Well known experts in the field of Chronobiology from around the world, provide an integrative view of the state of the art of circadian biology. At present, genetic and epigenetic interaction of regulatory pathways among circadian oscillators, metabolic networks, cellular differentiation and neuronal communication are subject of intense scrutiny. The book is organized in three sections: The first includes selected examples of the circadian systems of crustaceans, insects, fish, birds and mammals. The second is a detailed view of the physiological mechanisms underlying the circadian clocks in mammals. Finally, in the third section some examples of the relevance of circadian biology and circadian misalignment to health and disease are provided including nutrition and metabolism, obesity, cancer, cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases, Huntington and affective diseases. This section concludes with a brief review on gene therapy and its potential use as a therapeutic tool to correct "clock genes" pathologies. This book is aimed at all those interested in contemporary aspects of physiology, biochemistry and molecular biology applied to the study and characterization of timing systems.. It could be used as an initial approach to this field, but it also provides updated information for those already familiar with the fascinating field of Chronobiology.
It can be reasonably anticipated that, over the next generations, the proportion of elderly people will remarkably increase and, with this, the number ofpersons suffering from acute (e.g. cerebral ischemia) or chronic neurodegenerative disorders. To date, approved drugs only alleviate the symptoms ofthese diseases (for instance, acetylcholinesterase inhibitors in Alzheimer disease and L-dopa and dopamine-agonists in Parkinson disease), while none seems to stop the progression of the degenerative processes underlying them. The development of effective preventive or protective therapies has been impeded by the limitations of our knowledge of the causes and the mechanisms by which neurons die in neurodegenerative disorders. Evidence accumulated in the past 20 years indicated that the major excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate may play a role as neurotoxin in several conditions. In particular, the glutamatergic system dysfunction seems to be an early event working as a common pathway in the pathogenesis ofa large number ofacute and chronic neurological disorders, in strict conjunction with other important mechanisms, such as oxidative stress and energetic failure, and probably triggered by different mechanisms in various diseases. In consideration of that, drug discovery efforts over the last decade have been focused on the search for drugs that either reduce glutamate synaptic levels or block its postsynaptic effects. Despite numerous reviews on basic mechanisms and clinical aspects ofthe excitotoxic phenomenon, so far no comprehensive book has covered the topic in all its complexity, starting from basic pharmacological mechanisms, to .animal models of diseases and finally to clinical pathogenic and therapeutic implications. |
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