Plasticity And Morphology Of The Central Nervous System

In the last few years ways of thinking in psychiatry have undergone considerable change thanks to advances in the fields of morphology and plasticity of the CNS, particularly with regard to schizophrenic and mood disorders. In addition, the rapid and considerable development of neuroimaging techniques (CT, MRI, PET and computerized EEG) and of molecular genetics (through DNA recombinant meth odologies) have widened the approach to these disorders in a way unimagined a few years ago. These advances and the new etiopathogenetic hypotheses that have sprung from them were the central theme of the Second International Meeting on Schizophre nia "Morphology and Plasticity of the Central Nervous System - A Challenge for Psychiatry of the Nineties" which was organized by the Association for Research on Schizophrenia (ARS), the Schizophrenia Research Center of the Institute of Psychiatry of the University of Milan and the T. and F. Legrenzi Foundation, held in Milan on October 22-24, 1987. This book contains the contributions from participants of the meeting, which took place in a warm and friendly atmosphere and marked by lively and exhaustive discussions on the various papers. The contributions were recently revised for the present publication. We would like to express our appreciation to the book's contributors for the high quality of their reports.

The extremely labile nature of the nervous system has proved an intriguing area of research for over thirty years. From the earliest stages of neuronal growth during development, both the morphology and strength of neuronal connections within the central nervous system are shaped and modified by experience. While connections between neurons that are continually stimulated are strengthened, redundant connections weaken and are eventually lost. The Mutable Brain provides a comprehensive introduction to plasticity of the brain and neural circuits whilst covering the history of neurological research, from early work on the developing visual system, right through to current state-of-the-art molecular techniques. Authored by leading researchers in the field, it address a range of research areas, including ongoing research on the behavioural significance of hippocampal plasticity, the mediation of avian vocal learning by neural plasticity and the dynamicity of the somatosensory system with its multi-hierarchical interactions. Together, these chapters provide a broad, introductory overview of current views on neuronal plasticity.

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.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) remains a significant source of death and permanent disability, contributing to nearly one-third of all injury related deaths in the United States and exacting a profound personal and economic toll. Despite the increased resources that have recently been brought to bear to improve our understanding of TBI, the development of new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches has been disappointingly slow. Translational Research in Traumatic Brain Injury attempts to integrate expertise from across specialties to address knowledge gaps in the field of TBI. Its chapters cover a wide scope of TBI research in five broad areas: Epidemiology Pathophysiology Diagnosis Current treatment strategies and sequelae Future therapies Specific topics discussed include the societal impact of TBI in both the civilian and military populations, neurobiology and molecular mechanisms of axonal and neuronal injury, biomarkers of traumatic brain injury and their relationship to pathology, neuroplasticity after TBI, neuroprotective and neurorestorative therapy, advanced neuroimaging of mild TBI, neurocognitive and psychiatric symptoms following mild TBI, sports-related TBI, epilepsy and PTSD following TBI, and more. The book integrates the perspectives of experts across disciplines to assist in the translation of new ideas to clinical practice and ultimately to improve the care of the brain injured patient.

Reviews aspects of nervous plasticity, emphasizing how the higher nervous activity of humans and animals are an expression of plastic properties of the brain. Covers the plasticity of nerve cells and its mechanisms, plasticity of the brain as the basis of individual forms of adaptive behavior, and its role in disturbances of brain function. Updated and translated from the award-winning 1986 edition, which is now a standard text in many neuroscience departments. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Proceedings of the Conference on Recent Advances in Neurobiology: Plasticity and Regeneration held in St. Vincent, Italy, October 9-11 1995

The hippocampus , the Greek word for seahorse, is one of the most fascinating and intriguing regions of the mammalian brain. It is a bilateral incurved seahorse-shaped structure of the cerebral cortex. The hippocampus has a highly distinctive morphology. It is composed of two regions, the dentate gyrus (DG) and the Cornu Ammonis (CA). The nerve cells of the main layer of the DG and CA regions, the granule cells and pyramidal cells respectively, are organised in a tri-synaptic lamellaire circuit. The granule and pyramidal cells are glutamatergic excitatory. The granule cells elicit unique histological, biochemical, developmental, physio- and pathological features. The hippocampus is also an area of the brain that elicits a high degree of plasticity, like synaptic and phenotypic plasticity. It is also one of the few regions of the brain where neurogenesis, the generation of new nerve cells, occurs throughout adulthood. The hippocampus is involved in physio-and pathological processes, like learning and memory.