This book represents Part 2 of a venture started by distinguished neuroscientists to visualize and advertise the experimentally advantageous preparations of the crustacean nervous system. The advantage is a combination of ease of dissection of key structures and the possibility of repeatedly accessing identified individual cells to measure the detailed response of the system to the experimentally imposed stimulus program. Of course, the neurosciences have to focus their research on the nervous system of mammals and man in order to understand the principles of function and their regulation if malfunctions occur. This is in line with efforts to investigate nervous systems throughout the animal kingdom. The specific potential of the encountered systems for exploratory research into hitherto unexplained functions of the brain may very well be a key to new insights. The simply organized nervous system of crustaceans performs tasks of vital importance imposed on the organism. Hence this system consists of a complete set of neural circuitry open for inspection and measurement by systematic investigation. The first volume, The Crustacean Nervous System, contains exhaustive reports on experimental work from all sectors of neuroscience using crayfish and lobsters. This second volume, Crustacean Experimental Systems in Neurobiology," contains excellent reviews on significant topics in neurobiology. Each section is introduced by short texts written by the section editors of the Crustacean Nervous System. More, prominent authors explain their approach to understanding the brain using a selection of experiments involving visual orientation, neuromuscular systems and identification of principles of neural processing.

This book contains excellent reviews on significant topics in crustacean neurobiology, introductory texts for classroom usage, examples for exciting original research, an account of a new research strategy and a new concept for teaching the principles of neuroscience, all written by renowned scientists from all over the world. In short, exciting reading for every neurobiologist.

This unique selection of reviews summarizes current knowledge in all major fields of crustacean neurobiology and all levels of their CNS organization, using lobster and crayfish. It not only imparts theoretical knowledge but also describes all available contemporary and advanced techniques, such as patch clamp recordings, microelectrode techniques, immunocytochemistry, and all methods of molecular genetics to identify cellular pathways of protein synthesis and peptidergic control. In summary, it is a comprehensive account of the research achievements in one of the major nervous systems besides the mammalian CNS.