Specialist Periodical Reports provides systematic and detailed review coverage of progress in the major areas of chemical research. Written by experts in their specialist fields the series creates a unique service for the active research chemists, applying regular critical in-depth accounts of progress in particular areas of chemistry. For over 80 years the Royal Society of Chemistry and its predecessor, the Chemical Society, have been publishing reports charting developments in chemistry, which originally took the form of Annual Reports. However, by 1967 the whole spectrum of chemistry could no longer be contained within one volume and the series Specialist Periodical Reports was born. The Annual Reports themselves still existed but were divided into two, and subsequently three, volumes covering Inorganic, Organic and Physical Chemistry. For more general coverage of the highlights in chemistry they remain a 'must'. Since that time the SPR series has altered according to the fluctuating degree of activity in various fields of chemistry. Some titles have remained unchanged, while others have altered their emphasis along with their titles; some have been combined under a new name whereas others have had to be discontinued. The current list of Specialist Periodical Reports can be seen on the inside flap of this volume.

This timely book critically examines the capabilities and limitations of the new areas of biology that are used as powerful arguments for developing social policy in a particular direction, exploring their implications for policy and practice. It will enable social scientists, policy makers, practitioners and interested general readers to understand how the new biologies of epigenetics and neuroscience have increasingly influenced the fields of family policy, mental health, child development and criminal justice

This volume provides a highly integrated view of attention-related events, taking the reader from individual molecular interactions through the regulation of neuronal circuits to our higher order capacity for selective amplification of particular information.

Neuroscientists, psychologists, psychiatrists and other professionals dealing with psychiatric illnesses such as ADHD, autism, and schizophrenia will find this volume a useful addition to their library.

This volume reviews recent findings on the regulation of exocytotic release of neurotransmitters from nerve terminals. Leading international investigators examine the properties and composition of the vesicles that store neurotransmitters and the molecular and cellular mechanisms that cause a vesicle to release transmitters in response to a nerve impulse.
Coverage includes detailed analyses of quantal release of transmitters in the central and peripheral nervous systems. These studies shed new light on the questions of whether different transmitters are released together in fixed amounts and proportions, and whether and why effectors respond to such "transmitter quanta" in a quantal fashion. The book also highlights the relevance of research on neurotransmitter release to the study of various forms of synaptic plasticity, including higher functions such as learning and memory.

This book is a collection of articles by leading researchers working at the cutting edge of neuro-computational modelling of neurological and psychiatric disorders. Each article contains model validation techniques used in the context of the specific problem being studied. Validation is essential for neuro-inspired computational models to become useful tools in the understanding and treatment of disease conditions. Currently, the immense diversity in neuro-computational modelling approaches for investigating brain diseases has created the need for a structured and coordinated approach to benchmark and standardise validation methods and techniques in this field of research. This book serves as a step towards a systematic approach to validation of neuro-computational models used for studying brain diseases and should be useful for all neuro-computational modellers.

Introduction.-Probing Astrocyte Function in Fragile X Syndrome.- Neural Stem Cells.- Fragile X Mental Retardation Protein (FMRP) and the Spinal Sensory System. The Role of the Postsynaptic Density in the Pathology of the Fragile X Syndrome.- Behavior in a Drosophila model of Fragile X.- Molecular and Genetic Analysis of the Drosophila Model of Fragile X Syndrome.- Fragile X Mental Retardation Protein and Stem Cells.- Manipulating the Fragile X Mental Retardation Proteins in the Frog.- Exploring the Zebra finch Taeniopygia gutta as a Novel Animal Model for the Speech-language Deficit of Fragile X Syndrome.- Neuroendocrine Alterations in the Fragile X Mouse.- Taking STEPs forward to understanding Fragile X Syndrome.- Fmr-1 as an Offspring Genetic and a Maternal Environmental Factor in Neurodevelopmental Disease.- Mouse Models of the Fragile X Premutation and the Fragile X Associated Tremor/Ataxia Syndrome.- Clinical Aspects of the Fragile X Syndrome.- Fragile X Syndrome: A Psychiatric Perspective.- Fragile X Syndrome and Targeted Treatment Trials.- The Fragile X-associate Tremor Ataxia Syndrome.- Vignettes: Models in Absentia."

This book focuses on the role of gangliosides in three areas of medicine in which rapid progress has been made in the last decade: cancer, peripheral neuropathies and Alzheimer's disease. The volume further reflects progress in the pathogenesis of peripheral neuropathies, and the controversial role of gangliosides, also in therapeutic administration. There is a section on the role of gangliosides in neuronal differentiation and development and their receptor functions and cell surface activities. This excellent addition to the renowned "Progress in Brain Research" series also contains an invaluable plenary lecture on molecular basis of cell adhesion by Nobel prizewinner Gerald Edelman.

This volume on insects introduces the hearing research community and entomologists to the extensive but often unfamiliar literature on the ways that insects detect and process sounds. Each of the chapters is written by a leading expert in the field, and together they comprise the first comprehensive treatment of insect hearing. Starting with a discussion of insect taxonomy and an overview of the insects that are known to hear and use sound in communication, Comparative Hearing: Insects goes on to provide reviews of the behavior, physiology, mechanics and biophysics of insect hearing. All of the chapters are conceptual, providing not only an appreciation of insect hearing but also discussion of major questions for the future. This volume gives the reader considerable insight into insect hearing as well as applications to other animal models.

Transcriptomics and proteomics, studying the profile of the expression of nucleic acids and proteins respectively, are increasingly applied to gain a mechanistic insight into a wide spectrum of investigation, and the use of expression profiling studies for the central nervous system and brain function aids in the understanding of neurodegenerative disorders and tumor development mechanisms. In Expression Profiling in Neuroscience, expert researchers provide a survey of the most commonly used approaches in the field and scan the different ways of studying the central nervous system/brain environment through expression profiling. The first part addresses the gene expression profiling of the brain at a large scale or to a specific cell type such as blood-brain barrier endothelium. Then, the second part describes the protein expression studies and the different technologies applied. Written for the popular Neuromethods series, chapters include corresponding background information, tested laboratory protocols, and step-by-step methods for reproducible laboratory experiments. Detailed and authoritative, Expression Profiling in Neuroscience presents the state-of-the-art techniques necessary to expand research further into this vital area of study.

We all seem to think that we do the acts we do because we consciously choose to do them. This commonsense view is thrown into dispute by Benjamin Libet's eyebrow-raising experiments, which seem to suggest that conscious will occurs not before but after the start of brain activity that produces physical action.
Libet's striking results are often claimed to undermine traditional views of free will and moral responsibility and to have practical implications for criminal justice. His work has also stimulated a flurry of further fascinating scientific research--including findings in psychology by Dan Wegner and in neuroscience by John-Dylan Haynes--that raises novel questions about whether conscious will plays any causal role in action. Critics respond that both commonsense views of action and traditional theories of moral and legal responsibility, as well as free will, can survive the scientific onslaught of Libet and his progeny. To further this lively debate, Walter Sinnott-Armstrong and Lynn Nadel have brought together prominent experts in neuroscience, psychology, philosophy, and law to discuss whether our conscious choices really cause our actions, and what the answers to that question mean for how we view ourselves and how we should treat each other.

The book presents a new, powerful model of neuronal networks, consisting of a three-dimensional neuronal culture in which 3D neuronal networks are coupled to micro-electrode-arrays (MEAs). It discusses the main advantages of the three-dimensional system compared to its two-dimensional counterpart, and shows that the network dynamics, recorded during both spontaneous and stimulated activity, differs between the two models, with the 3D system being better able to emulate the in vivo behaviour of neural networks. The book offers an extensive analysis of the system, from the theoretical background, to its design and applications in neuro-pharmacological studies. Moreover, it includes a concise yet comprehensive introduction to both 2D and 3D neuronal networks coupled to MEAs, and discusses the advantages, limitations and challenges of their applications as cellular and tissue-like in vitro experimental model systems.

A comprehensive survey of the many recent advances in the field of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCR). The authors describe the current knowledge of GPCR receptor structure and function, the different mechanisms involved in the regulation of GPCR function, and the role of pharmacological chaperones in GPCR folding and maturation. They also present new findings about how GPCR dimerization/oligomerization modifies the properties of individual receptors and show how recent developments are leading to significant advances in drug discovery, such as the detection of ligands for orphan GPCRs. Also discussed are the most recent developments that could lead to new drug discoveries: the role of GPCRs in mediating pain, the development of receptor-type selective drugs based on the structural plasticity of receptor activation, and the identification of natural ligands of orphan GPCRs (deorphanization) as possible drug targets.

Human consciousness has perplexed philosophers, artists and scientists for centuries. Some hold it to be purely physical, while others believe it transcends the material world. Now comes a book that offers a new perspective - based entirely on evidence from the natural sciences - whereby materialism and dualism co-exist. The author - a distinguished pioneer of nonlinear dynamics - bases his argument on a hierarchical view of mental organization; a stairway. Atoms give rise to molecules, neurons form the brain and individual consciousness leads to shared culture. All steps are needed to complete the picture and each level derives from the previous one. The book shows specialists how each of their fields adds to the overall picture, while providing general readers with an introduction to this investigation.

The contributors to this volume have provided a detailed and integrated introduction to the behavioural, anatomical, and physiological changes that occur in the auditory system of developing animals. Edwin W Rubel is Virginia Merrill Bloedel Professor of Hearing Sciences at the Virginia Merrill Bloedel Hearing Research Center at the University of Washington, Arthur N. Popper is Professor and Chair of the Department of Zoology at the University of Maryland, while Richard R. Fay is Associate Director of the Parmly Hearing Institute and Professor of Psychology at Loyola University of Chicago. Each volume in this series is independent and authoritative; taken as a set, the series will be the definitive resource in the field.

Timing and Time Perception: Procedures, Measures, and Applications is a one-of-a-kind, collective effort to present the most utilized and known methods on timing and time perception. Specifically, it covers methods and analysis on circadian timing, synchrony perception, reaction/response time, time estimation, and alternative methods for clinical/developmental research. The book includes experimental protocols, programming code, and sample results and the content ranges from very introductory to more advanced so as to cover the needs of both junior and senior researchers. We hope that this will be the first step in future efforts to document experimental methods and analysis both in a theoretical and in a practical manner. Contributors are: Patricia V. Agostino, Rocio Alcala-Quintana, Fuat Balci, Karin Bausenhart, Richard Block, Ivana L. Bussi, Carlos S. Caldart, Mariagrazia Capizzi, Xiaoqin Chen, Angel Correa, Massimiliano Di Luca, Celine Z. Duval, Mark T. Elliott, Dagmar Fraser, David Freestone, Miguel A. Garcia-Perez, Anne Giersch, Simon Grondin, Nori Jacoby, Florian Klapproth, Franziska Kopp, Maria Kostaki, Laurence Lalanne, Giovanna Mioni, Trevor B. Penney, Patrick E. Poncelet, Patrick Simen, Ryan Stables, Rolf Ulrich, Argiro Vatakis, Dominic Ward, Alan M. Wing, Kieran Yarrow, and Dan Zakay.

Exocytosis is a fundamental cellular process that is used by eukaryotic cells to release a variety of biological compounds including peptide hormones and neurotransmitters or to insert specific lipids and proteins in the plasma membrane. In recent years, a multidisciplinary approach promoted an extraordinary progress in the understanding of the molecular mechanisms regulating exocytosis. This led to the discovery of a large number of components belonging to the machinery that governs the fusion of secretory vesicles with plasma membranes in different cell systems, including neuronal and endocrine cells. The basic machinery required for vesicle fusion turned out to be well conserved through evolution from yeast to man. So far, because of the large number of components involved, understanding of the molecular basis of exocytosis has remained the privilege of a relatively small group of specialists. This book, written by recognized experts in the field aims at clarifying for a non-specialist audience the role of the key players in the exocytotic process not only in neuronal and endocrine cells but also in a variety of other relevant cell systems. introduce researchers and students to the forefront of this rapidly moving and fascinating field.

This is the first book on brain-computer interfaces (BCI) that aims to explain how these BCI interfaces can be used for artistic goals. Devices that measure changes in brain activity in various regions of our brain are available and they make it possible to investigate how brain activity is related to experiencing and creating art. Brain activity can also be monitored in order to find out about the affective state of a performer or bystander and use this knowledge to create or adapt an interactive multi-sensorial (audio, visual, tactile) piece of art. Making use of the measured affective state is just one of the possible ways to use BCI for artistic expression. We can also stimulate brain activity. It can be evoked externally by exposing our brain to external events, whether they are visual, auditory, or tactile. Knowing about the stimuli and the effect on the brain makes it possible to translate such external stimuli to decisions and commands that help to design, implement, or adapt an artistic performance, or interactive installation. Stimulating brain activity can also be done internally. Brain activity can be voluntarily manipulated and changes can be translated into computer commands to realize an artistic vision. The chapters in this book have been written by researchers in human-computer interaction, brain-computer interaction, neuroscience, psychology and social sciences, often in cooperation with artists using BCI in their work. It is the perfect book for those seeking to learn about brain-computer interfaces used for artistic applications.

Specialist Periodical Reports provide systematic and detailed review coverage of progress in the major areas of chemical research. Written by experts in their specialist fields the series creates a unique service for the active research chemist, supplying regular critical in-depth accounts of progress in particular areas of chemistry. For over 80 years the Royal Society of Chemistry and its predecessor, the Chemical Society, have been publishing reports charting developments in chemistry, which originally took the form of Annual Reports. However, by 1967 the whole spectrum of chemistry could no longer be contained within one volume and the series Specialist Periodical Reports was born. The Annual Reports themselves still existed but were divided into two, and subsequently three, volumes covering Inorganic, Organic and Physical Chemistry. For more general coverage of the highlights in chemistry they remain a 'must'. Since that time the SPR series has altered according to the fluctuating degree of activity in various fields of chemistry. Some titles have remained unchanged, while others have altered their emphasis along with their titles; some have been combined under a new name whereas others have had to be discontinued. The current list of Specialist Periodical Reports can be seen on the inside flap of this volume.

This edited monograph provides a compelling analysis of the interplay between neuroscience and aesthetics. The book broaches a wide spectrum of topics including, but not limited to, mathematics and creator algorithms, neurosciences of artistic creativity, paintings and dynamical systems as well as computational research for architecture. The international authorship is genuinely interdisciplinary and the target audience primarily comprises readers interested in transdisciplinary research between neuroscience and the broad field of aesthetics.

Cerebral hypoxia/ischemia is a common cause of neurologic dysfunction following cardiopulmonary resuscitation. With the advent of aggressive resuscitatiQ,il;m.ethods to treat cardiopulmonary arrest, more patients are surviving to live with posthypoxic/ postischemic neurologic syndromes. Thus, there is an urgent need to understand the basic aspects of the problem. This monograph consists of reviews from :s'c5ientists using advanced techniques for basic research into the molecular neurob~ology of the mechanisms and effects of cerebral hypoXia/ischemia, and from cliniciahs ~ctively involved in managing patients with these syndromes. The first five chapters contain several basic topics of neurobiology to help under- stand brain function, followed by five chapters that deal with the mechanisms of cerebral hypoxia/ischemia and potential protective measures against it. The first chapter describes functional proteins in the presynaptic terminal which regulate transmitter release. This is followed by a chapter demonstrating the molecu- lar structure and physiological function of the glutamate receptor channel, which may determine the rate and quantity of calcium ion influx into the nerve cell. The third chapter surveys the metabolic glutamate responses and the intracellular mechanisms believed to play an important role in pathogenesis of hypoxic/ischemic cell injury. The fourth chapter deals with long-term potentiation and drugs, the basis for under- standing memory disturbance caused by cerebral hypoxia/ischemia. The fifth chapter describes distributions of nitric oxide synthase mRNAs in the brain, currently one of the most advanced fields in neurobiology.

Neuroscience Perspectives provides multidisciplinary reviews of topics in one of the most diverse and rapidly advancing fields in the life sciences.
Whether you are a new recruit to neuroscience, or an established expert, look to this series for 'one-stop' sources of the historical, physiological, pharmacological, biochemical, molecular biological and therapeutic aspects of chosen research areas.
Although peripheral type benzodiazepne recognition sites have been demonstrated in the brain and peripheral organs of various species for more than 10 years, the exact physiological function or pharmacological effects have not yet been established. Peripheral benzodiazepine literature is so overwhelming that the novice may find it virtually impossible to form a clear idea about the diverse findings.
This volume, dedicated exclusively to pBR and their natural and synthetic ligands, puts the available data into perspective.
A truly interdisciplinary approach has brought neuroscientists, cardiologists, endocrinologists, and immunologists together to work on the description of pBR-mediated effects. The chemistry, biochemistry, and molecular biology of the pBR receptor and its ligands are reviewed, their pharmacological usefulness is conjectured, and thus a true overview of the field is provided.
* SPECIAL FEATURES
* This volume follows the Neuroscience Perspectives brief of providing a historical background, pharmacological, biochemical and physiological aspects of research and therapeutic potential, of its chosen topic.
* The peripheral benzodiazepine recognition site has been recognised for more than ten years, but the exact physiological and pharmacological effects have not yet been established.

Computational Neurosciences is a burgeoning field of research where only the combined effort of neuroscientists, biologists, psychologists, physicists, mathematicians, computer scientists, engineers and other specialists, e.g. from linguistics and medicine, seem to be able to expand the limits of our knowledge.

The present volume is an introduction, largely from the physicists' perspective, to the subject matter with in-depth contributions by system neuroscientists. A conceptual model for complex networks of neurons is introduced that incorporates many important features of the real brain, such as various types of neurons, various brain areas, inhibitory and excitatory coupling and the plasticity of the network. The computational implementation on supercomputers, which is introduced and discussed in detail in this book, will enable the readers to modify and adapt the algortihm for their own research. Worked-out examples of applications are presented for networks of Morris-Lecar neurons to model the cortical connections of a cat's brain, supported with data from experimental studies.

This book is particularly suited for graduate students and nonspecialists from related fields with a general science background, looking for a substantial but hands-on introduction to the subject matter. "

Itisabundantlyclearthattheendocannabinoidsignallingsystemisubiquitously expressedthroughouttheanimalkingdomfromsimpleinvertebratestoman,and thatitisrepresentedinalmosteverycelltype. Thecomponentsofthesysteminrelationtothesynthesisandmetabolismofthe endocannabinoidsandtheirbiologicaltargetsarebeginningtobeunravelled,but the degree of complexity involved is enormous. This is particularly true for endocannabinoidsignallinginthecentralnervoussystem,whichisthesubjectof thisvolume. Inthebook,avarietyofauthors,whoareallveryactiveresearchersinthe?eld, providecurrentaccountsoftherolesoftheendocannabinoidsysteminnormalbrain physiologyinrelationtotheneurobiologyofessentialbehaviorsandinanumberof centraldiseasestates. The?rstpartprovidesabackgroundand"toolbox",detailingwhatisknown abouttheendocannabinoidsthemselvesandtheirtargetreceptorsandhowthey in?uencesynapticactivity. Itgoesontodescribethegeneticandpharmacological methodsavailableforinvestigatingthesystem. The second part describes endocannabinoid roles in key systems controlling appetite,pain,memoryandlearning,stressresponsesandreproduction. The?nalgroupofchaptersreviewsthecurrentstateofknowledgesurrounding thefunctionoftheendocannabinoidsystemindepression,drugaddiction,schi- phrenia,feedingdisordersandTourette'ssyndrome. Giventheenormousamountofinformationavailableandtherateofprogressin research,itisimpossibleforthevolumetobetotallycomprehensive,butwetrust thatitwillprovideanexcellentbackgroundtoresearcherswantingtoexpandtheir areaofinterestandtonewcomerstothe?eld. Nottingham,UnitedKingdom DavidKendall StephenAlexander v Contents PartI Biochemistry,Pharmacology,GeneticsandChemistry 1 TheLifeCycleoftheEndocannabinoids:Formation andInactivation...3 StephenP. H. AlexanderandDavidA. Kendall 2 EndocannabinoidReceptorPharmacology ...37 KenMackieandBettyYao 3 EndocannabinoidReceptors:CNSLocalizationoftheCB 1 CannabinoidReceptor...65 Istva'nKatona 4 PharmacologicalToolsinEndocannabinoidNeurobiology...87 MarcoMorandAlessioLodola 5 GeneticModelsoftheEndocannabinoidSystem ...111 KrisztinaMonoryandBeatLutz 6 EndocannabinoidSignalinginNeuralPlasticity ...141 BradleyE. Alger 7 LessonsfromNonmammalianSpecies ...173 KenSoderstrom PartII PhysiologyandPathophysiology 8 RolesoftheEndocannabinoidSysteminLearning andMemory ...201 GiovanniMarsicanoandPaulineLafenetre vii viii Contents 9 EndocannabinoidsandtheNon-HomeostaticControl ofAppetite ...231 TimC. Kirkham 10 Cannabinoid/EndocannabinoidSignalingImpactonEarly PregnancyEvents...255 XiaofeiSunandSudhansuK. Dey 11 TargetingtheCannabinoidSystemtoProduceAnalgesia ...275 DeviRaniSagar,MaulikJhaveri,andVictoriaChapman 12 IntegrationofEndocannabinoidSignalingintotheNeural NetworkRegulatingStress-InducedActivationofthe Hypothalamic-Pituitary-AdrenalAxis ...289 BorisB. GorzalkaandMatthewN. Hill PartIII Pathology 13 DrugAddiction ...309 ZuzanaJustinova,LeighV. Panlilio,andStevenR. Goldberg 14 RoleofEndocannabinoidSignalinginAnxietyandDepression...347 SachinPatelandCeciliaJ. Hillard 15 FeedingDisordersandObesity...373 CristinaCervino,ValentinaVicennati,RenatoPasquali, andUbertoPagotto 16 Schizophrenia...387 F. Markus 17 Tourette'sSyndrome...397 KirstenR. Mu..ller-Vahl Index ...411 Contributors StephenP. H. Alexander SchoolofBiomedicalSciencesandInstituteofNeuroscience,UniversityofN- tingham Medical School, Queens Medical Centre, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK; steve. alexander@nottingham. ac. uk BradleyE. Alger Departments of Physiology and Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 655 W. Baltimore St. /BRB 5-025, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; balger@umaryland. edu CristinaCervino Endocrinology Unit and Center of Applied Biomedical Research (C. R. B. A. ), DepartmentofInternalMedicineandGastroenterology,S. Orsola-MalpighiHos- tal,AlmaMaterStudiorumUniversityofBologna,40138Bologna,Italy VictoriaChapman SchoolofBiomedicalSciences,UniversityofNottingham,NottinghamNG72UH, UK;victoria. chapman@nottingham. ac. uk SudhansuK. Dey Departments of Pharmacology, Pediatrics and Cell & Developmental Biology, Division of Reproductive and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University MedicalCenter,Nashville,TN37232,USA;sk. dey@vanderbilt. edu StevenR.

Many advances in modern neuroscience are enabled by the availability of chemical tools that allow sensitive, precise, and quantitative measurements of, and control over, biological processes. These powerful reagents are widely used for investigating the nervous system at levels of detail ranging from ion channel structure to neural network dynamics. Recent advances in photochemistry, microscopy, and protein engineering have triggered a surge in the development and application of these interdisciplinary techniques. Chemical Neurobiology: Methods and Protocols assists with the design, characterization and validation of new chemical tools for neurobiology by providing detailed protocols of procedures and assays deemed essential for the successful development and implementation of such tools. Divided into three sections, topics cover chemical probes of membrane protein structure and function, photochemical control of protein and cellular function, and chemical probes for imaging in the nervous system. Written in the successful Methods in Molecular Biology (TM) series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible protocols, and notes on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and easily accessible, Chemical Neurobiology: Methods and Protocols serves scientists at many levels, including students aiming to expand their perspective, laboratory researchers seeking technical guidance, and established investigators looking for creative solutions to their research problems in molecular, cellular and systems neuroscience.