Neuroscience In Africa

This Research Topic covers some of the latest research on brain and behavior in health and disease in Africa. With its untapped resources and unique situations, “Neuroscience in Africa” has the potential to contribute to a better understanding of human brain function both in health and disease. The diverse African fauna display a range of specializations in brain structure/function relationships as a result of adaptations to the environment. Exploration of these may lead to insights into coping strategies which could be extrapolated to humans. Africa’s unique flora is being investigated for anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive, antioxidant, antiepileptogenic and neuroprotective properties to determine its potential for use in the treatment of human brain disorders. There is also research on neurodegenerative and infectious diseases, not only common to the global world, but also neglected tropical diseases and conditions which provide unique avenues of investigations in basic and translational neuroscience on highly debilitating disorders - and on the effects of pathogens and environmental toxins.

Current data and trends in morbidity and mortality for the sub-Saharan Region as presented in this new edition reflect the heavy toll that HIV/AIDS has had on health indicators, leading to either a stalling or reversal of the gains made, not just for communicable disorders, but for cancers, as well as mental and neurological disorders.

From a multi-dimensional and interdisciplinary standpoint, this book challenges the teleological and unidirectional notions of development embodied in the idea of modernisation or ‘progress’ and offers a critique of the tendency to consider Africa as a basket case, which often gives the Western ‘self’ an undeserving privilege and superiority over the African ‘other’. Mostly authored by emerging African scholars, this 16-chapter volume addresses the historical application of development projects in Africa and their modern impact in economic, political, cultural, social, and infrastructural contexts, among others. The book, therefore, unearths development dynamics in specific African countries, examines the continent’s external relations, rethinks predominant ideas on development, and engages in critical examination of concepts and practices that have maintained hegemonic positions in the discussions on Africa’s development. Its uniqueness lies in the ability to bring these several voices and themes together into a concise conception of both the challenges and possibilities of Africa’s sustainable development. The book targets both the academic and policy worlds in Africa and around the world, as well as ordinary members of the public who seek to broaden their theoretical and empirical understanding on the changing dynamics on the African continent.

Edited and authored by a wealth of international experts in neuroscience and related disciplines, this key new resource aims to offer medical students and graduate researchers around the world a comprehensive introduction and overview of modern neuroscience. Neuroscience research is certain to prove a vital element in combating mental illness in its various incarnations, a strategic battleground in the future of medicine, as the prevalence of mental disorders is becoming better understood each year. Hundreds of millions of people worldwide are affected by mental, behavioral, neurological and substance use disorders. The World Health Organization estimated in 2002 that 154 million people globally suffer from depression and 25 million people from schizophrenia; 91 million people are affected by alcohol use disorders and 15 million by drug use disorders. A more recent WHO report shows that 50 million people suffer from epilepsy and 24 million from Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Because neuroscience takes the etiology of disease—the complex interplay between biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors—as its object of inquiry, it is increasingly valuable in understanding an array of medical conditions. A recent report by the United States’ Surgeon General cites several such diseases: schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, early-onset depression, autism, attention deficit/ hyperactivity disorder, anorexia nervosa, and panic disorder, among many others. Not only is this volume a boon to those wishing to understand the future of neuroscience, it also aims to encourage the initiation of neuroscience programs in developing countries, featuring as it does an appendix full of advice on how to develop such programs. With broad coverage of both basic science and clinical issues, comprising around 150 chapters from a diversity of international authors and including complementary video components, Neuroscience in the 21st Century in its third edition serves as a comprehensive resource to students and researchers alike.

This book explores both the existence and prevalence of addiction in South and East Africa, departing from traditional assumptions about addiction in the region. The authors employ an interdisciplinary approach to understand the actual prevalence of addiction and the forms it takes in South and East Africa. The book also addresses the perceptions and conceptualisation of addiction in the region, in addition to discussing specific issues related to drug and alcohol abuse and addiction, social media addiction, and sex addiction.

Millions of people in sub-Saharan Africa suffer from mental, neurological, and substance use (MNS) disorders, and most do not have the resources to obtain treatment. The Uganda National Academy of Sciences and the Institute of Medicine hosted a workshop to discuss the state of care for MNS disorders in sub-Saharan Africa.

Provides an authoritative summary of current knowledge of the biological basis of substance use behaviours, including their relationship with environmental factors.