Recent innovations, including deep brain stimulation and new medications, have significantly improved the lives of people who have Parkinson's disease. Nevertheless, patients and families continue to face many challenges. They have long relied on this book for reliable advice about medical, emotional, and physical issues. Bringing this trusted guide up to date, three expert neurologists describe: new understandings gained by five years of additional research on Parkinson's disease; new focus on the importance of exercise; new information about imaging techniques such as SPECT Scan and DATScan that are aiding in the diagnosis; new findings about the genetics of the disease; promising uses of new technologies such as tablet devices for people who have trouble communicating; information about impulse control disorders caused by some drugs used to address the symptoms of the disease; and a complete update on treatments such as medications, surgery, and more.

The Handbook of Clinical Neurology Vol 100: Hyperkinetic Movement Disorders discusses hyperkinetic disorders related mainly to basal ganglia dysfunction and pathology. It contains 13 sections and 51 chapters written by authoritative and experienced investigators and clinicians in this extremely broad and diverse group of diseases and syndromes. The first section on choreoathetoid diseases and syndromes includes chapters on Huntington's disease and Huntington's disease look-alikes; spinocerebellar degenerations; neuroacanthocytosis; entatorubral-pallidoluysian atrophy; neuroferritinopathy; neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation; mitochondrial disorders; acquired hepatocerebral degeneration; benign hereditary chorea; and "senile chorea." The remaining chapters focus on the abnormal involuntary movements associated with each disease or syndrome. These include immune-related chorea, vascular chorea, metabolic disturbances that can induce chorea, chorea in other medical settings (e.g., postpump chorea in children, cancer-related paraneoplastic syndromes), myoclonus, essential tremor, and dystonia, including dystonia plus syndromes. There are also chapters on tardive dyskinesia, unusual clinical syndromes, and tics and stereotyped movements in children. The text is a valuable resource for neurology and psychiatry residents, practicing neurologists and psychiatrists, and specialists in movement disorders.

In the past five years significant progress has been made in our basic and clinical under standing of Parkinson's disease. The discovery that MPTP, a relatively simple molecule, is able to induce parkinsonism in otherwise healthy adult humans, and the recent interest in the possibility of "transplantation" procedures as a therapeutic modality in the treatment of Parkin son's disease have generated enormous interest in research related to Parkinson's disease. In this setting, the National Parkinson Foundation decided to organize a research meeting to bring together scientists actively engaged in research relevant to the study of Parkinson's disease, to accelerate its progress and to promote an exchange of ideas. This meeting took place in Janu ary 1988 at Key Biscayne, Florida. It was decided to publish the proceedings ofthis meeting to allow rapid documentation of the participants current findings and views regarding this rapidly of this volume follows the organization of the meeting and begins evolving field. The structure with a clinical and neuropathological review of current knowledge regarding Parkinson's dis ease. Since dopaminergic neurons playa major role in the pathophysiology of the disease, many of the contributions relate to some aspects of dopaminergic function including localiza tion, regulation, and pharmacology of dopamine receptors. A special effort has been made to provide a summary of the present knowledge of the cellular biology of the dopaminergic neurons."

Part of the Oxford American Neurology Library, Parkinson's Disease: Improving Patient Care is a clinically-focused text for healthcare professionals involved in the everyday management of Parkinson's disease patients. Primary care physicians, general neurologists, medical trainees, and ancillary therapists including mental health professionals, speech therapists, and physical therapists will all find helpful information regarding caring for patients with Parkinson's disease. The easily readable text provides information on the diagnosis of Parkinson's disease and everyday management of patients with this disorder. Concise chapters and tables for easy reference make this book easy to read in sequence or use as a handy reference. The 12 chapters cover all aspects of Parkinson's disease care from diagnosis, test selection and early management to handling complications, deciding whether surgical options are appropriate, managing Parkinson's disease patients in the inpatient setting and supporting patients and families during late-stage complications. Tables and boxes highlight diagnostic clues and criteria and appropriate medications and doses for Parkinson's disease-specific medications and medications used to treat general aspects of the disease such as constipation.

In the past five years significant progress has been made in our basic and clinical under- standing of Parkinson's disease. The discovery that MPTP, a relatively simple molecule, is able to induce parkinsonism in otherwise healthy adult humans, and the recent interest in the possibility of "transplantation" procedures as a therapeutic modality in the treatment of Parkin- son's disease have generated enormous interest in research related to Parkinson's disease. In this setting, the National Parkinson Foundation decided to organize a research meeting to bring together scientists actively engaged in research relevant to the study of Parkinson's disease, to accelerate its progress and to promote an exchange of ideas. This meeting took place in Janu- ary 1988 at Key Biscayne, Florida. It was decided to publish the proceedings ofthis meeting to allow rapid documentation of the participants current findings and views regarding this rapidly of this volume follows the organization of the meeting and begins evolving field. The structure with a clinical and neuropathological review of current knowledge regarding Parkinson's dis- ease. Since dopaminergic neurons playa major role in the pathophysiology of the disease, many of the contributions relate to some aspects of dopaminergic function including localiza- tion, regulation, and pharmacology of dopamine receptors. A special effort has been made to provide a summary of the present knowledge of the cellular biology of the dopaminergic neurons.