This book presents, in two parts, a review concerning the use of Rattus norvegicus as a model for the study of neurological disorders and oncological diseases (mammary cancer). In the first part, the neurological disorders are addressed in important neurological diseases, such as: Autism, Parkinsons, Huntingtons and Alzheimers disease, and two neuromotor dysfunctions (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and ataxia). The second part reveals the importance of the rat as a model for the study of mammary cancer, presenting the diversity of rat strains and models available for the study of this oncological disease. This part is mainly focused on the chemically-induced models of mammary cancer and on the importance of the rat for the development of new prophylactic and therapeutic strategies to fight this disease.For many years and up to the present, rat models have allowed the study of innumerable diseases, as well as their etiology, pathogenesis, evolution and treatment. Due to this, the role of this species for the evolution of medicine is undoubtable.Since the information presented in this book was obtained from years of works of expertise in the field, we hope that it be useful for those researchers aiming to use Rattus norvegicus as a model to study human diseases, providing them with valuable information for the adequate selection and management of this species in their experiments.

For those who are in the medical science area fighting diseases and intoxications on a daily basis, this book intends to bring some of the latest results written to a medical context. For students of chemistry and medical sciences, this book will help shed some light on, for instance, the role of metal ions in the environment of life and how sinister the consequences are of contaminations in the environment, mainly water and soils. Results in the scientific literature in Medical Sciences are seldom read by medical doctors. However, many results in Bioinorganic Chemistry and Biochemistry are straight linked to free radicals production and to some diseases, such as degenerative ones (Alzheimer, Parkinson, Wilson, etc.). Metal ions are now shown in the chemistry literature to play a vital role in these diseases. Therefore, external chemical effects, as well as biochemical (internal) effects have to be considered.

An immense amount of human knowledge that has been collected for ages currently exists. Nonetheless, the quest for the cure of some dire diseases, many of them fatal, is needed now more than ever. It seems that the main focus is not to state consequences, but to find causes. Taking the hypercomplexity of human biochemistry and physiology into consideration, as well as the multitude of existing scientific reports in the literature at present, this knowledge is vast enough to spend a lifetime studying, if anyone were willing to do so. This information will then pave the way to even more research in any field of science, regardless of being old-fashioned, forgotten or even discredited by some of the scientific representatives that would certainly be labelled as deceivers of humanity for leaving us with fewer choices, thus restraining our right to choose what is best for ourselves. Science is boundless, and therefore, all research should be free of any interference, for example, on how and if a research study should be conducted until the results are presented. That was not the case with the last centuries' scientists; back then, both their laboratories and lives were in danger. In honour of those who stand for free science, this volume presents the knowledge as it should be, as an open source to anyone, and where it leads us is our own decision entirely. This is the fourth volume in our series.

This book focuses on the newest information on metal ion contaminations and the influence of some of them in neurological diseases, a subject still not completely understood in the scientific literature so far. The book presents an extensive review on the aluminium forms of intoxication in humans and the role of this metal ion in human pathobiology by presenting live cases experienced in hospitals and discussing similar data; a review on the recent findings of the role of aluminium, zinc and copper in neurological disorders based on the chemical and bioinorganic aspects of these metal ions; a review on the genotoxic effects of the metal ions aluminium, iron and manganese either in vivo and in vitro results; information concerning arsenic and its structural effects on the human erythrocyte and some complementary model studies, and provides a study on coffee cultures in contaminated soils and its influence on human health.