From Development To Degeneration And Regeneration Of The Nervous System

This book provides current information about the three areas mentioned in the title: Neuronal Migration and Development, Degenerative Brain Diseases, and Neural Plasticity and Regeneration. The chapters about brain development examine the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which neurons are generated from the ventricular zone in the forebrain and migrate to their destinations in the cerebral cortext. This description of cortical development also includes a discussions of the Cajal-Retzius cell. Another chapter provides insight about the development of another forebrain region, the hypothalamus. The remaining chapters of this section examine the clinical relevance of brain development in certain disease states in humans: neural tube defects and the normal and abnormal development of human electroencephalographic recordings during the first year of age.The second section on degenerative disorders of the brain begins wtih details about the dopaminergic neurons in the substantia niger and their loss in Parkinson's disease. Two subsequent chapters describe changes in brain aging, including changes in the numbers of myelinated axons. Other chapters in this section describe important cellular and molecular changes found in Alzheimer's disease and human epilepsy. Together, these chapters summarize much of our current knowledge about the major molecular and cellular changes found in several degenerative diseases of the brain.The last section addresses the issues of brain plasticity and regeneration in the adult brain and begins with a chapter on how the brain's own stem cells provide newly generated neurons to the hippocampal dentate gyrus and how these neurons become integrated into neural circuitry. The following two chapters examine some of the neuroplastic changes that take place in motor and sensory cortices of awake behaving primates. The concluding two chapters address the issue of regeneration in the injured spinal cord and the factors that may contribute to its success.

This book is the result of the 20th International Summer School in Brain Research, organized in August 1997 in Amsterdam, by the Netherlands Institute for Brain Research at the Royal Netherlands Academy of Sciences. It is the first book that provides a complete overview of the field of neurodegeneration and regeneration including spinal cord injury, neurodegenerative diseases and therapy. Divided into five sections, the first two sections give an overview of fundamental research on nerve cell death, neuronal survival, neurite outgrowth and guidance. Extensive attention is given to the role of neurotrophins, their receptor tyrosine kinases and cell-adhesion molecules in development and regeneration of the nervous system. The third section of the book is devoted to research involving human neurodegenerative diseases and emerging treatment strategies. Section four focusses on recent advances in the understanding of pathophysiological mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Huntington's diseases along with prion diseases. Novel insights into the neuropathological hallmarks of these diseases, as well as into transgenic animal models, the involvement of environmental factors, and genomic and mRNA changes that can cause neurodegeneration. The final section of this volume reveals recent developments in the use of cell and gene therapy to treat neurodegenerative disease and lesion-related deficits. Implantation of genetically modified cells, direct gene transfer with viral vectors and the first clinical trials with encapsulated genetically modified cells in patients suffering from amyotrophic lateral scelerosis are examples of new therapeutic strategies treating neurodegenerative diseases. The book is of particular interest to departments of neuroscience, neurological clinics and departments, the pharmalogical industry and medical libraries.

This book is a reprint of an English translation of Cajal's original work, with abundant notes and commentaries by the editor. This text describes Cajal's fundamental contributions to neuroscience, which continue to be important today. It accurately details Cajal's ideas and data, and providesreaders with the opportunity to learn what Cajal thought about his research career and the significance of his observations. Excerpts from Tello's memorial lectures also provide a contemporary view of Cajal's work.

Degeneration and Regeneration in the Nervous System brings together an international team of contributors to produce a series of critical reviews appraising key papers in the field. The pace of research on brain and spinal cord injury quickened considerably in the last ten years and there is much that is new and important that is covered in this book. However, there is still a long way to go before our knowledge will explain fully why the central nervous system has such a limited capacity for regeneration, and before experimental solutions can be applied to the patient. With emphasis on actual and therapeutic importance of the work reviewed, Degeneration and Regeneration in the Nervous System is a useful overview for graduate students, their teachers and researchers working in this field.

These volumes teach readers to think beyond apoptosis and describes all of the known processes that cells can undergo which result in cell death This two-volume source on how cells dies is the first, comprehensive collection to cover all of the known processes that cells undergo when they die. It is also the only one of its kind to compare these processes. It seeks to enlighten those in the field about these many processes and to stimulate their thinking at looking at these pathways when their research system does not show signs of activation of the classic apoptotic pathway. In addition, it links activities like the molecular biology of one process (eg. Necrosis) to another process (eg. apoptosis) and contrasts those that are close to each. Volume 1 of Apoptosis and Beyond: The Many Ways Cells Die begins with a general view of the cytoplasmic and nuclear features of apoptosis. It then goes on to offer chapters on targeting the cell death mechanism; microbial programmed cell death; autophagy; cell injury, adaptation, and necrosis; necroptosis; ferroptosis; anoikis; pyronecrosis; and more. Volume 2 covers such subjects as phenoptosis; pyroptosis; hematopoiesis and eryptosis; cyclophilin d-dependent necrosis; and the role of phospholipase in cell death. Covers all known processes that dying cells undergo Provides extensive coverage of a topic not fully covered before Offers chapters written by top researchers in the field Provides activities that link and contrast processes to each other Apoptosis and Beyond: The Many Ways Cells Die will appeal to students and researchers/clinicians in cell biology, molecular biology, oncology, and tumor biology.

In two freestanding volumes, the Textbook of Neural Repair and Rehabilitation provides comprehensive coverage of the science and practice of neurological rehabilitation. Revised throughout, bringing the book fully up to date, this volume, Neural Repair and Plasticity, covers the basic sciences relevant to recovery of function following injury to the nervous system, reviewing anatomical and physiological plasticity in the normal central nervous system, mechanisms of neuronal death, axonal regeneration, stem cell biology, and research strategies targeted at axon regeneration and neuron replacement. New chapters have been added covering pathophysiology and plasticity in cerebral palsy, stem cell therapies for brain disorders and neurotrophin repair of spinal cord damage, along with numerous others. Edited and written by leading international authorities, it is an essential resource for neuroscientists and provides a foundation for the work of clinical rehabilitation professionals.