This is the second volume of a two volume work on biosocial approaches to social stratification and human inequality. The volume considers linkages between gender and stratification; between neurohormonal variables and status; and between health, reproduction, and social status. The contributors explore topics that environmentalists shun, and discuss how the effect of biological variables on social stratification may have evolutionary consequences.

I would like first to thank Charles Woody and his organizing committee for arranging the symposium on the "Cellular Mechanisms of Conditioning and Behavioral Plasticity," which was also a satellite meeting of the International Union of Physiological Sciences 30th International Congress. The proceedings of this symposium are represented by the chapters that follow. During the 1970s, Dr. Woody and co-workers were able to carry out a remarkable series of microelectrode studies, both intracellular and extracellular, of cortical nerve cells during conditioning of the eye-blink response to sound in the intact waking cat. He demonstrated enduring changes in excitability and membrane resistance in pericruciate cortical cells during associative conditioning of the eye blink, changes that are facilitated by ACh and cGMP and reinforced by stimulation of the hypothalamus (the latter con firming the original studies of Voronin). These findings have been of considerable im portance in our attempt to understand the conditioning process at the cellular level."

"Brain-inspired information technology" is one of key concepts for the development of information technology in the next generation. Explosive progress of computer technology has been continuing based on a simple principle called "if-then rule." This means that the programmer of software have to direct every action of the computer programs in response to various inputs. There inherently is a limitation of complexity because we human have a limited capacity for managing complex systems. Actually, many bugs, mistakes of programming, exist in computer software, and it is quite difficult to extinguish them. The parts of computer programs where computer viruses attack are also a kind of programming mistakes, called security hole. Of course, human body or nervous system is not perfect. No creator or director, however, exists for us. The function of our brain is equipped by learning, self-organization, natural selection, and etc, resulting in adaptive and flexible information system. Brain-inspired information technology is aiming to realize such nature-made information processing system by using present computer system or specific hardware. To do so, researchers in various research fields are getting together to inspire each other and challenge cooperatively for the same goal.

Providing a selection of the key techniques that are used in characterizing cerebral angiogenesis, Cerebral Angiogenesis: Methods and Protocols aims to define the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying this important process. Divided into six parts, this detailed volume examines cerebral angiogenesis occurring in different scenarios, a variety of different models in which cerebral angiogenesis can be studied, methods to characterize and quantify angiogenic events as well as several different approaches to measure changes in cerebral blood flow, different approaches to investigate the role of specific candidate genes in cerebral angiogenesis, methods of therapeutically manipulating cerebral angiogenesis by gene delivery, and finally important approaches to examine cerebral angiogenic mechanisms in vitro. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their specific topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Comprehensive and decidedly practical, Cerebral Angiogenesis: Methods and Protocols should be a vital resource for all researchers, both those new to this field as well as those looking to use more specialized and sophisticated techniques to examine blood vessel growth in the brain.

Neuromedia is an innovative examination of shared territories in neurobiological anatomy, physiology and media art. It reveals how scientists investigate perception and behaviour at the molecular, cellular and systems level. It demonstrates how interpretative forms of media art can help to demystify these complexities for diverse audiences. Under the reflective headings of inspiration, construction, challenges and reactions, it offers deep insights into the processes of art and science production. Assisted by essays from a museum director and an art historian, Neuromedia provides the background for readers about an exhibition of the same name at KULTURAMA in Zurich (2012), and suggests an alternative approach to scientific communication. Authors: Robert Atkins, Oliver Biehlmaier, Mitchel Paul Levesque, Stephan Neuhauss, Rolf Pfeifer, Claudia Rutsche, Jill Scott and Esther Stoeckli

Law regulates human behaviour, a phenomenon about which neuroscience has much to say. Neuroscience can tell us whether a defendant suffers from a brain abnormality, or injury and it can correlate these neural deficits with criminal offending. Using fMRI and other technologies it might indicate whether a witness is telling lies or the truth. It can further propose neuro-interventions to 'change' the brains of offenders and so to reduce their propensity to offend. And, it can make suggestions about whether a defendant knows or merely suspects a prohibited state of affairs; so, drawing distinctions among the mental states that are central to legal responsibility. Each of these matters has philosophical import; is a neurological 'deficit' inculpatory or exculpatory; what is the proper role for law if the mind is no more than the brain; is lying really a brain state and can neuroscience really 'read' the brain? In this edited collection, leading contributors to the field provide new insights on these matters, bringing to light the great challenges that arise when disciplinary boundaries merge.

* Investigates new findings on the predictive brain and what these insights mean for autism and current interventions. * The book has already sold over 2000 copies within 7 months of publishing in Dutch * Peter Vermeulen has established himself as an expert in autism writing, his last books selling thousands of copies and being translated into 10 languages and 5 languages each.

The Neuroscience of Depression: Genetics, Cell Biology, Neurology, Behaviour and Diet is a comprehensive reference to the aspects, features and effects of depression. This book provides readers with the behavior and psychopathological effects of depression, linking anxiety, anger and PSTD to depression. Readers are provided with a detailed outline of the genetic aspects of depression including synaptic genes and the genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of depression, followed by a thorough analysis of the neurological and imaging techniques used to study depression. This book also includes three full sections on the various effects of depression, including diet, nutrition and molecular and cellular effects. The Neuroscience of Depression: Genetics, Cell Biology, Neurology, Behaviour and Diet is the only resource for researchers and practitioners studying depression.

Shakespeare and Cognition examines the essential relationship between vision, knowledge, and memory in Renaissance models of cognition as seen in Shakespeare's plays. Drawing on both Aristotle's Metaphysics and contemporary cognitive literary theory, Arthur F. Kinney explores five key objects/images in Shakespeare's plays a " crowns, bells, rings, graves and ghosts a " that are not actually seen (or, in the case of the latter, not meant to be seen), but are central to the imagination of both the playwright and the playgoers.

The main purpose of this volume is to provide a focused analysis of the function of the G protein-coupled signaling pathways that operate in the interconnected network of retinal neurons as they detect and encode the information carried by light. The organization of this volume will generally follow the path of signal flow in the retina. First we will describe recent advances in understanding the phototransduction cascade of rod and cone photoreceptors, which use signaling cascade based on the GPCR rhodopsin to transduce incident light into neural activity. Chapters will be devoted to unique specializations of the two major types of photosensitive cells that comprise the predominant input for our spatial and color vision. Subsequently, the mechanisms of synaptic information encoding by retinal ON bipolar cells will be described, where the GPCR mGluR6 plays a fundamental role. Chapters in this section will examine macromolecular organization of the mGluR6 signaling pathway as well as current understanding of its function. The functional characteristics of this signaling mechanism will be explored in detail. Additionally, this section will cover the role of dopamine receptors in modulating signal transmission between photoreceptors and ON-bipolar cells. Finally, chapters will be focused on the output neurons of the inner retina, ganglion cells, where the components of the emerging GPCR melanopsin cascade in intrinsically photosensitive ganglion cells will be detailed. Collectively these mechanisms allow the retina to represent visual space over a wide range of light intensities.

Induced pluripotent stem cells in cardiovascular research.- TRPs in the brain.-The channel physiology of the skin."

Marijuana is the most commonly used psychotropic drug in the United States, after alcohol. With the legalization and decriminalization of cannabis, momentum continues to build and propelled by the reduction of stigma associated to its consumption, there is growing concern regarding the long-term impact on brain function and behavior. Cannabis and the Developing Brain aims to provide comprehensive research on the effects of cannabis during neurodevelopment stages (i.e., perinatal and adolescent ages). This book introduces readers to vivo neural circuits, molecular and cellular mechanisms affected by cannabis exposure during three different temporal windows of brain vulnerability. Second, it offers a unique insight to shared neurobiological features of cannabinoid exposure during different developmental periods. Lastly, Cannabis and the Developing Brain determines the adverse impact of developmental cannabinoid exposure on specific cognition, emotion and behaviors.

According to the Sentencing Project, between 1980 and 2017, the number of incarcerated women increased by more than 750%, rising from a total of 26,378 in 1980 to 225,060 in 2017 and the number continues to rise. Dealing with incarcerated women and specifically psychopathic women can be challenging. Understanding Female Offenders: Psychopathy, Criminal Behavior, Assessment, and Treatment provides readers with a better conceptualization of the psychopathic/non-psychopathic female. This includes better ways of interviewing, assessing, and treating these women, and clinical caveats with case examples to assist with clinical applications. This is the only comprehensive resource that provides specific knowledge about female offenders, particularly on female psychopathy and assessment.

One of the most active and productive areas of biological science in the past decade has been the study of the biochemical and biophysical prop erties of cell membranes. There is little doubt that membranes are essen tial components of all cellular systems and that each type of membrane manifests specific and characteristic cellular functions. In the nervous system, important events such as neurotransmission, receptor binding, ion transport, axonal transport, and cell uptake are all known to take place within the neural cell membrane. Phospholipids, one of the major components of membranes, not only provide the membrane with its structural integrity and physical proper ties, but also play an important role in regulating membrane function. Attention has recently been focused on the asymmetric localization of these molecules, the identification of discrete metabolic pools of phospholipids within the membrane matrix, and their involvement in sig nal transmission. Although synaptic membranes generally lack an active mechanism for the de novo biosynthesis of phospholipids, a number of enzymic routes are present for their interconversions and for facilitating metabolic turnover. Metabolites generated during the interconversion reactions may also exert a great influence in modulating membrane func tions. The phosphogylcerides of neural membranes are especially enriched in polyunsaturated fatty acids. However, only very small amounts of these fatty acids are present in the free form, and they are maintained in dynamic equilibrium with the membrane phospholipids."

Key discoveries concerning the different biological functions of microglia in health and disease have attracted scientists from various fields. In Microglia: Methods and Protocols, expert researchers in the field detail methods for selection of the key cellular, molecular and biochemical techniques that are used in studying the many and varied functions of this fascinating cell. These methods and techniques include microglia cell culture for studying microglia activation and functions, as well as their interaction with other cell types both in vitro and in vivo. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and key tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, Microglia: Methods and Protocols is a useful resource for cell biologists, molecular biologists, immunologists, oncologist and neuroscientists.

This volume discusses experimental brain injury models that contain valuable information carefully chosen to widen the researchers' horizon about neurotrauma. Injury Models of Central Nervous System: Methods and Protocols contains relevant experimental design approaches that have been adapted and made ready for application in laboratory settings. For easier navigation, the chapters are categorized into 6 parts: Introduction, General Consideration in Using Animal Laboratory in CNS Injury Research, Classical TBI Models and Their Link with Pathophysiological Features of CBS Injury - Models, Special Topics in CNS Trauma: Comorbid Conditions in CNS Injury, Outcome Measures in Brain Injury Models, and Future Directions. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, 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. Practical and thorough, Injury Models of Central Nervous Systems: Methods and Protocols, is a very useful reference towards the progress of this discipline.

Cultural neuroscience combines brain imaging techniques such as functional magnetic resonance imaging and event-related brain potentials with methods of social and cultural psychology to investigate whether and how cultures influence the neural mechanisms of perception, attention, emotion, social cognition, and other human cognitive processes. The findings of cultural neuroscience studies improve our understanding of the relation between human brain function and sociocultural contexts and help to reframe the "big question" of nature versus nurture. This book is organized so that two chapters provide general views of the relation between biological evolution, cultural evolution and recent cultural neuroscience studies, while other chapters focus on several aspects of human cognition that have been shown to be strongly influenced by sociocultural factors such as self-concept representation, language processes, emotion, time perception, and decision-making. The main goal of this work is to address how thinking actually takes place and how the underlying neural mechanisms are affected by culture and identity.

The author makes a unique contribution to the field by discussing the history and philosophy of the neurosciences, and then developing critical approaches which integrate techniques, theory, and ethics. Taken as a whole, Jacobson's work will provide a coherent and humane framework for future research programs. The paperback edition of this highly successful text, first published in 1993, is now available! The author brings the ethics of neuroscience into a closer relationship with empirical research. Covering the field's history, philosophy, theories, and techniques, this volume provides the necessary moral and ethical framework to evaluate neuroscience research.

Leading experts critically summarize the state of knowledge concerning the molecular, anatomical, physiological, and behavioral aspects of NPY and its congeners. Each article provides a comprehensive and in-depth survey, an overview of the role of NPY in the discipline covered, a discussion of the likely future direction that the field will take, and an up-to-date bibliography.
Chapters include a treatment of the evolution of the PP family of genes, the structure of the NPY gene, and the distribution of NPY on the cardiovascular system, actions of NPY on the electrophysiological properties of nerve cells, and the effects of NPY on feeding and behavior. The chapters are written in an accessible style and serve both as an introduction to the field and as an extensive and detailed treatment of the current state of knowledge.

When we worked on Down Syndrome brain in the past we have been focus ing on adult brain. This was a major step forwards as most work on Down Syndrome was carried out on fibroblasts or other tissues and, moreover, we introduced proteomics to identify and quantify brain protein expression. We considered evaluation of brain protein expression in Down Syndrome brain by and by more important than gene hunting at the nucleic acid level realiz ing the long unpredictable way from RNA to protein. The availability of fetal samples along with the proteomic appproach stimulated and reinforced studies on Down Syndrome brain. And indeed, it was found out that some observations on aberrant protein expression in adult Down Syndrome brain could not be verified in the fetal samples indi cating that neurodegeneration in adult Down Syndrome brain may have been responsible rather than trisomy 21. Using brains from the early second trimester of gestation led to the generation of a series of clues for the under standing of aberrant wiring of the brain in Down Syndrome and enabled the determination of altered key functions in early life; e. g. undetectably low drebrin was observed in Down Syndrome cortex, an integral constituent and marker for dendritic spines, main effectors of cross-talk between neurons. In addition, evaluation of the nature of the neuronal deficits in terms of neuro transmission markers could be established as well as neuronal density in fetal Down Syndrome cortex."

The idea that some day robots may have emotions has captured the imagination of many and has been dramatized by robots and androids in such famous movies as 2001: A Space Odyssey's HAL or Star Trek's Lt. Commander Data. By contrast, the editors of this book have assembled a panel of experts in neuroscience and artificial intelligence who have dared to tackle the issue of whether robots can have emotions from a purely scientific point of view. The study of the brain now usefully informs study of the social, communicative, adaptive, regulatory, and experiential aspects of emotion and offers support for the idea that we exploit our own psychological responses in order to feel others' emotions. The contributors show the many ways in which the brain can be analyzed to shed light on emotions. Fear, reward, and punishment provide structuring concepts for a number of investigations. Neurochemistry reveals the ways in which different "neuromodulators" such as serotonin, dopamine and opioids can affect the emotional balance of the brain. And studies of different regions such as the amygdala and orbitofrontal cortex provide a view of the brain as a network of interacting subsystems. Related studies in artificial intelligence and robotics are discussed and new multi-level architectures are proposed that make it possible for emotions to be implanted. It is now an accepted task in robotics to build robots that perceived human expressions of emotion and can "express" simulated emotions to ease interactions with humans. Looking towards future innovations, some scientists posit roles for emotion as a powerful self-motivational tool as well as a way to work effectively in a group. But daunting questions remain as we ask what may be the nature of emotions in future generations of robots that share neither our biological heritage nor our need to share emotions with our fellow humans. All of these issues are covered in this timely and stimulating book which is written for researchers and graduate students in neuroscience, cognitive science, psychology, robotics and artificial intelligence.

The first comprehensive overview of the effects of hypertension on the brain. The book discusses not only the relationship between hypertension and stroke, but also the much less studied relationship between hypertension and cognitive decline and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's. It seeks to answer two important questions. First, what are the conditions under which hypertension is associated with stroke, cognitive decline, and neurodegenerative disease? And second, what are the biological mechanisms by which hypertension alters brain homeostasis? By looking at the biological mechanisms of these relationships, this book provides insight to neuroscientists and neurologists regarding why anti-hypertension treatments make a big difference in the case of stroke, but have very little impact on cognitive decline and brain aging.

This is the third Proceedings book to arise from biennial conferen- ces on the Trace Amines. Since our first meeting in 1983 in Edmonton, Canada, progress has been brisk and, as will be seen from the ensuing pages, it is now possible to include major contributions from inverte- brate neurobiologists as well as receptorologists. In the opening ses- sion we heard about the distribution of the trace amines-now clear- ly a misnomer-in insects and the pharmacological, receptor, and syn- aptic characteristics of octopamine and tryptamine as well as the pos- sibility of monoamines in general being targets for insecticide discov- ery. In mammalian brain the distribution and characterization of the tryptamine receptor has proceeded to the point where two types have been described as well as novel agonists and antagonists, and, for the first time, a binding site for p-tyramine has been described. The com- bination of lesions and pharmacological and metabolic manipulations now permits the mapping of trace aminergic pathways, and the rap- idly accumulating evidence from releasing drugs, in situ microdialy- sis, iontophoresis, and second messenger systems lends credence to the claim that the trace amines possess neuromodulatory functions.

Advances in methodologies and experimental models are pivotal to furthering our understanding of central nervous system (CNS) functions in mammals. "Isolated Central Nervous System Circuits" examines the application a variety of technologies to mostly active "in vitro" preparations from basically different CNS regions with a diversity of functions. From patch-clamp, multiphoton imaging, live fluorescent protein expression, or immunohistochemistry techniques to acute or 'organotypic' slices and "en bloc" preparations, this detailed volume features key protocols and examples for exciting results from the labs of renowned experts. Written for the popular "Neuromethods" series, chapters include the kind of thorough implementation advice that is vital for achieving successful results.

Comprehensive and cutting-edge, "Isolated Central Nervous System Circuits" will greatly aid scientists to further improve models and to develop corresponding models of not yet intensively studied structures such as "nucleus ruber," "superior colliculus," or basal ganglia."