The Autonomic Nervous System

A traditional view of the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) considers only its peripheral part: the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems. However, this view misses to consider the most important ANS function: the maintenance of homeostasis. This term is used today to define not only the strategies that allow the body proper response to changes in the environment (reactive homeostasis), but also temporal mechanisms that allow the body to predict the most likely timing of environmental stimuli (predictive homeostasis based on biological rhythms). This book discusses the ANS from both an enlarged and a timed perspective. First, it presents how the organization of the ANS is hierarchical into different levels. Following that, the book discusses how the ANS changes functionally in the three-body configurations (wakefulness, slow sleep, rapid eye movement sleep) found in a 24-hour cycle. Finally, the most important clinical implications of this enlarged and timed vision of ANS will be discussed. Autonomic Nervous System – Basic and Clinical Aspects is a comprehensive text intended for medical students and health professionals who are interested in a deeper approach to this important part of the nervous system. It provides a detailed and complete understanding of the neuroscience behind the ANS, allowing a proper clinical applicability of this knowledge.

The Primer on the Autonomic Nervous System presents, in a readable and accessible format, key information about how the autonomic nervous system controls the body, particularly in response to stress. It represents the largest collection of world-wide autonomic nervous system authorities ever assembled in one book. It is especially suitable for students, scientists and physicians seeking key information about all aspects of autonomic physiology and pathology in one convenient source. Providing up-to-date knowledge about basic and clinical autonomic neuroscience in a format designed to make learning easy and fun, this book is a must-have for any neuroscientist’s bookshelf! Greatly amplified and updated from previous edition including the latest developments in the field of autonomic cardiovascular regulation and neuroscience Provides key information about all aspects of autonomic physiology and pathology Discusses stress and how its effects on the body are mediated Compiles contributions by over 140 experts on the autonomic nervous system

Aging of the Autonomic Nervous System is the first book devoted to the aging of the autonomic nervous system. The book presents the most recent findings on topics such as general aspects of the autonomic nervous system, main neurotransmitter systems, age-dependent changes of neuroeffector mechanisms in target organs, and therapeutic perspectives. It also provides a comprehensive analysis of the possible consequences of these findings. Aging of the Autonomic Nervous System will be a useful volume for gerontologists and neuroscientists.

A conspicuous portion of the peripheral nervous system is part of the 'vegetative nervous system'; it includes all the neurons which innerv ate the viscera, salivary and lacrimal glands, the heart and blood vessels, all other smooth muscles of the body, notably the intrinsic muscles of the eye and the muscles of the hair. Only part of the system belongs to the peripheral nervous system: it has also its own nuclei and pathways in the central nervous system. The distinction between visceral and somatic functions is a very old one in our culture. With the development of neurology the notion of a widespread nervous control of body functions emerged. Winslow (1732) used the term nervi sympathici majores for those nerves, which he thought to carry about 'sympathies' and then co ordinate various viscera's functions. His was an anatomical break through, which obscured Willis' 'intercostal nerve' and Vesalius 'cranial nerve'. The notion was developed among others by John stone (1764) who arrived, with the aid of some very accurate anatomical observations, at the problem of the nervous influence on motion and sensitivity of viscera. By the end of the eighteenth century, it was clear, with Bichat (1800), that what he called 'sympa thetic nervous system' (and his pupil Reil, a few years later, 'vegeta tive nervous system ') controlled visceral functions (fa vie organique), whereas somatic functions (fa vie animafe) were under direct control from the brain and spinal cord.

This comprehensive book addresses all elements of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and sleep interaction, as well as ANS alterations in sleep and how these impact primary and comorbid sleep dysfunction. It meets the market need for a comprehensive text that deals with ANS changes in sleep and how these impact various neurological, medical, and primary sleep disorders. Organized into three parts, the book begins with a review of the foundational bodily systems that participate in coordination of ANS activity with other homeostatic responses such as respiration, cardiovascular reflexes, and responses to stress. Part two then examines methods of laboratory evaluation and the “why, when, how” of interpreting heart rate variability in sleep. To conclude, the final section of the book broadly covers the many clinical aspects of ANS, including insomnia, restless leg syndrome, sleep apnea, sleep related epilepsy, and acute autonomic neuropathy. Autonomic Nervous System and Sleep enhances the reader's understanding of the pathophysiology of various disorders, and explains how to apply this profound understanding is important to new lines of therapy to improve morbidity.

In recent years, a number of important developments have been madein equine anaesthesia and analgesia. These include new methods ofmonitoring the patient, the availability of new drugs and theimplementation of new procedures. This book not only covers all thetraditional methods of anaesthesia and recent developments, but itprovides students and practitioners with essential information onthe scientific basis of anaesthesia, as well as giving handy tipson more practical aspects of anaesthesia, such as drug regimens forfield anaesthesia. Covers all the latest developments in equine anaesthesia whilstproviding the reader with lots of practical information Includes detailed coverage of the sciences behind anaesthesiaand the drugs used Easy-to-read format, with lots of bulleted lists and tabulatedinformation