This book reviews the relationship between cytokines, glia, and neurons in the pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric disorders and examines the mechanisms of action of the drugs used for the treatment of these disorders. Increasing evidence has suggested that glia perform important roles in various brain functions, but much remains to be learned about these crucial cells and their interplay with neurons. In addition, a better understanding of the interaction between inflammatory mediators, such as cytokines, and the activated immune response will be of critical importance for the development of new therapeutic strategies. These key areas are the focus of this book, which documents the latest research findings in the field. Evidence is provided for the role of inflammation-induced toxic metabolites from the tryptophan pathway in a wide range of neuropsychiatric disorders, including depression, schizophrenia, and Alzheimer's disease. In presenting state of the art knowledge on the interactions between cytokines, glia, and neurons, the book will help to pave the way for the development of novel targets for the prevention and treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders.

This volume explores the latest techniques used to study brain function and pathophysiology of major depressive disorder (MDD), and includes suggestions of new therapeutic approaches for the treatment of MDD. The chapters into this book are organized into five parts. Part One discusses advanced approaches to studying well-established pathophysiological mechanisms. Part Two details behavioral research methods for MDD. Part Three looks at the cellular and molecular research methods for major depression, and Part Four describes the latest developments in non-invasive neuroimaging. Part Five focuses on the pharmacological and non-pharmacological interactions, including antidepressant agents and their properties, such as sexual side effects and neuroimaging biomarkers. In the Neuromethods series style, chapters include the kind of detail and key advice from the specialists needed to get successful results in your laboratory. Cutting-edge and comprehensive, Translational Research Methods for Major Depressive Disorders is a valuable resource for researchers and scientists interested in learning more about this important and developing field.

This book reviews all aspects of major depressive disorder (MDD), casting light on its neurobiological underpinnings and describing the most recent advances in management. The book is divided into four sections, the first of which discusses MDD from a network science perspective, highlighting the alterations in functional and structural connectivity and presenting insights achieved through resting state functional MRI and the development of neuroimaging-based biomarkers. The second section examines important diagnostic and neurobiological issues, while the third considers the currently available specific treatments for MDD, including biofeedback, neurofeedback, cognitive behavioral therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, neuromodulation therapy, psychodynamic therapy, and complementary and alternative medicine. A concluding section is devoted to promising emerging treatments, from novel psychopharmacological therapies through to virtual reality treatment, immunotherapy, biomarker-guided tailored therapy, and more. Written by leading experts from across the world, the book will be an excellent source of information for both researchers and practitioners.

Although panic disorder may mimic medical conditions, patients with medical conditions that seem to pose a real life threat may be diagnosed when panic attacks, which are not well explained by any existing disease, repeatedly appear. After they accept the idea of possessing panic disorder, the most commonly asked question by patients is what has caused this condition. For the author, with more than 20 years of clinical experience, it is not easy to satisfy patients with simple answers. An exemplary explanation may be that the combination of heredity, environment, genetic-environmental interactions, neurotransmitters, the HPA axis, and any forms of stress affects the onset of panic disorder. Genetic susceptibility obviously affects panic disorder, but does not account for up to 30-40% of occurrences. Stressful life events often precede the onset and seem to increase the risk of panic disorder development, but not in all cases. In fact, the cause of panic disorder is still unknown. However, step-by-step approaches toward understanding the causes and developing new treatments for panic disorder through research on the epidemiological studies, genetics, epigenetic studies, neuroimaging studies, and studies dissecting neural circuits for regulating normal fear and anxiety are being put into effect. The latest advances in therapy for treatment-resistant patients who do not respond well to therapy have been addressed in this book. This book is the result of a worldwide collaboration of experts who are outstanding in the research of panic disorder. The author hopes that this book will give patients, clinicians, and clinical researchers the latest insights into panic disorder.