The olivo-cerebellar system

The olivo-cerebellar system PDF Author: Egidio D'Angelo
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
ISBN: 288919826X
Category : Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry
Languages : en
Pages : 324

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Book Description
During the last decades, investigations on the olivo-cerebellar system have attained a high level of sophistication, which led to redefinitions of several structural and functional properties of neurons, synapses, connections and circuits. Research has expanded and deepened in so many directions and so many theories and models have been proposed that an ensemble review of the matter is now needed. Yet, hot topics remain open and scientific discussion is very lively at several fronts. One major question, here as well as in other major brain circuits, is how single neurons and synaptic properties emerge at the network level and contribute to behavioural regulation via neuronal plasticity. Other major aspects that this Research Topic covers and discusses include the development and circuit organization of the olivo-cerebellar network, the established and recent theories of learning and motor control, and the emerging role of the cerebellum in cognitive processing. By touching on such varied and encompassing subjects, this Frontiers Special Topic aims to highlight the state of the art and stimulate future research. We hope that this unique collection of high-quality articles from experts in the field will provide scientists with a powerful basis of knowledge and inspiration to enucleate the major issues deserving further attention.

Astrocytes in (Patho)Physiology of the Nervous System

Astrocytes in (Patho)Physiology of the Nervous System PDF Author: Vladimir Parpura
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 0387794921
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 701

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Book Description
Astrocytes were the original neuroglia that Ramón y Cajal visualized in 1913 using a gold sublimate stain. This stain targeted intermediate filaments that we now know consist mainly of glial fibrillary acidic protein, a protein used today as an astrocytic marker. Cajal described the morphological diversity of these cells with some ast- cytes surrounding neurons, while the others are intimately associated with vasculature. We start the book by discussing the heterogeneity of astrocytes using contemporary tools and by calling into question the assumption by classical neuroscience that neurons and glia are derived from distinct pools of progenitor cells. Astrocytes have long been neglected as active participants in intercellular communication and information processing in the central nervous system, in part due to their lack of electrical excitability. The follow up chapters review the “nuts and bolts” of ast- cytic physiology; astrocytes possess a diverse assortment of ion channels, neu- transmitter receptors, and transport mechanisms that enable the astrocytes to respond to many of the same signals that act on neurons. Since astrocytes can detect chemical transmitters that are released from neurons and can release their own extracellular signals there is an increasing awareness that they play physiological roles in regulating neuronal activity and synaptic transmission. In addition to these physiological roles, it is becoming increasingly recognized that astrocytes play critical roles during pathophysiological states of the nervous system; these states include gliomas, Alexander disease, and epilepsy to mention a few.

Rhythms of the Brain

Rhythms of the Brain PDF Author: G. Buzsáki
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0199828237
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 465

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Book Description
Studies of mechanisms in the brain that allow complicated things to happen in a coordinated fashion have produced some of the most spectacular discoveries in neuroscience. This book provides eloquent support for the idea that spontaneous neuron activity, far from being mere noise, is actually the source of our cognitive abilities. It takes a fresh look at the coevolution of structure and function in the mammalian brain, illustrating how self-emerged oscillatory timing is the brain's fundamental organizer of neuronal information. The small-world-like connectivity of the cerebral cortex allows for global computation on multiple spatial and temporal scales. The perpetual interactions among the multiple network oscillators keep cortical systems in a highly sensitive "metastable" state and provide energy-efficient synchronizing mechanisms via weak links. In a sequence of "cycles," György Buzsáki guides the reader from the physics of oscillations through neuronal assembly organization to complex cognitive processing and memory storage. His clear, fluid writing-accessible to any reader with some scientific knowledge-is supplemented by extensive footnotes and references that make it just as gratifying and instructive a read for the specialist. The coherent view of a single author who has been at the forefront of research in this exciting field, this volume is essential reading for anyone interested in our rapidly evolving understanding of the brain.

The olivo-cerebellar system

The olivo-cerebellar system PDF Author: Egidio D'Angelo
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
ISBN: 288919826X
Category : Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry
Languages : en
Pages : 324

Get Book Here

Book Description
During the last decades, investigations on the olivo-cerebellar system have attained a high level of sophistication, which led to redefinitions of several structural and functional properties of neurons, synapses, connections and circuits. Research has expanded and deepened in so many directions and so many theories and models have been proposed that an ensemble review of the matter is now needed. Yet, hot topics remain open and scientific discussion is very lively at several fronts. One major question, here as well as in other major brain circuits, is how single neurons and synaptic properties emerge at the network level and contribute to behavioural regulation via neuronal plasticity. Other major aspects that this Research Topic covers and discusses include the development and circuit organization of the olivo-cerebellar network, the established and recent theories of learning and motor control, and the emerging role of the cerebellum in cognitive processing. By touching on such varied and encompassing subjects, this Frontiers Special Topic aims to highlight the state of the art and stimulate future research. We hope that this unique collection of high-quality articles from experts in the field will provide scientists with a powerful basis of knowledge and inspiration to enucleate the major issues deserving further attention.

Galanin

Galanin PDF Author: Tomas Hökfelt
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 3034602286
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 285

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Book Description
Galanin is a neuropeptide found both in the central and peripheral nervous system. The 29-amino acid peptide (named after its N-terminal glycine and C-terminal alanine) was identified in 1983 by its C-terminal amidation. This 'reverse' approach, that is to discover a substance through a distinct chemical feature, and only subsequently to characterize its biological activity, was novel and has been successful in the identification of several other peptides. After the structure of galanin was determined in 1983, functional studies were performed with material purified from natural sources until the synthetic form of the peptide became available. Galanin can act as transmitter, modulator and trophic factor, and is involved in a number of physiological processes such as hormone secretion, cardiovascular mechanisms, feeding and cognition. This peptide may also be of significance for a number of pathological processes/disorders including pain, depression, Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy, addiction and cancer. This wide diversity of actions is mediated by three galanin receptor subtypes. The studies reviewed in this volume give a fairly complete overview of the spectrum of the biological actions and functions of galanin and its receptors and on possible therapeutic applications in a number of pathological conditions.

Sparse Distributed Memory

Sparse Distributed Memory PDF Author: Pentti Kanerva
Publisher: MIT Press
ISBN: 9780262111324
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 194

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Book Description
Motivated by the remarkable fluidity of memory the way in which items are pulled spontaneously and effortlessly from our memory by vague similarities to what is currently occupying our attention "Sparse Distributed Memory "presents a mathematically elegant theory of human long term memory.The book, which is self contained, begins with background material from mathematics, computers, and neurophysiology; this is followed by a step by step development of the memory model. The concluding chapter describes an autonomous system that builds from experience an internal model of the world and bases its operation on that internal model. Close attention is paid to the engineering of the memory, including comparisons to ordinary computer memories."Sparse Distributed Memory "provides an overall perspective on neural systems. The model it describes can aid in understanding human memory and learning, and a system based on it sheds light on outstanding problems in philosophy and artificial intelligence. Applications of the memory are expected to be found in the creation of adaptive systems for signal processing, speech, vision, motor control, and (in general) robots. Perhaps the most exciting aspect of the memory, in its implications for research in neural networks, is that its realization with neuronlike components resembles the cortex of the cerebellum.Pentti Kanerva is a scientist at the Research Institute for Advanced Computer Science at the NASA Ames Research Center and a visiting scholar at the Stanford Center for the Study of Language and Information. A Bradford Book.

Feedback Systems

Feedback Systems PDF Author: Karl Johan Åström
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 069121347X
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
The essential introduction to the principles and applications of feedback systems—now fully revised and expanded This textbook covers the mathematics needed to model, analyze, and design feedback systems. Now more user-friendly than ever, this revised and expanded edition of Feedback Systems is a one-volume resource for students and researchers in mathematics and engineering. It has applications across a range of disciplines that utilize feedback in physical, biological, information, and economic systems. Karl Åström and Richard Murray use techniques from physics, computer science, and operations research to introduce control-oriented modeling. They begin with state space tools for analysis and design, including stability of solutions, Lyapunov functions, reachability, state feedback observability, and estimators. The matrix exponential plays a central role in the analysis of linear control systems, allowing a concise development of many of the key concepts for this class of models. Åström and Murray then develop and explain tools in the frequency domain, including transfer functions, Nyquist analysis, PID control, frequency domain design, and robustness. Features a new chapter on design principles and tools, illustrating the types of problems that can be solved using feedback Includes a new chapter on fundamental limits and new material on the Routh-Hurwitz criterion and root locus plots Provides exercises at the end of every chapter Comes with an electronic solutions manual An ideal textbook for undergraduate and graduate students Indispensable for researchers seeking a self-contained resource on control theory

Histamine in the brain

Histamine in the brain PDF Author: Jian-Sheng Lin
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
ISBN: 2889194345
Category : Brain
Languages : en
Pages : 100

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Book Description
Brain aminergic pathways are organized in parallel and interacting systems, which support a range of functions, from homoeostatic regulations to cognitive, and motivational processes. Despite overlapping functional influences, dopamine, serotonin, noradrenaline and histamine systems provide different contributions to these processes. The histaminergic system, long ignored as a major regulator of the sleep-wake cycle, has now been fully acknowledged also as a major coordinator of attention, learning and memory, decision making. Although histaminergic neurons project widely to the whole brain, they are functionally heterogeneous, a feature which may provide the substrate for differential regulation, in a region-specific manner, of other neurotransmitter systems. Neurochemical preclinical studies have clearly shown that histamine interacts and modulates the release of neurotransmitters that are recognized as major modulators of cognitive processing and motivated behaviours. As a consequence, the histamine system has been proposed as a therapeutic target to treat sleep-wake disorders and cognitive dysfunctions that accompany neurodegenerative and neuroinflammatory pathologies. Last decades have witnessed an unexpected explosion of interest in brain histamine system, as new receptors have been discovered and selective ligands synthesised. Nevertheless, the complete picture of the histamine systems fine-tuning and its orchestration with other pathways remains rather elusive. This Research Topic is intended to offer an inter-disciplinary forum that will improve our current understanding of the role of brain histamine and provide the fundamentals necessary to drive innovation in clinical practice and to improve the management and treatment of neurological disorders.

Contemporary Issues in Modeling Psychopathology

Contemporary Issues in Modeling Psychopathology PDF Author: Michael S. Myslobodsky
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 1475748604
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 350

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Book Description
Despite considerable progress in clinical and basic neurosciences, the cure of psychiatric disorders is still remote, little is known about their prevention, and the etiology and molecular mechanisms of mental disorders are still obscure. Diagnoses are still guided by patients' stories. The mission of animal models is to bridge the gap between `the story and the synapse.' Contemporary Issues in Modeling of Psychopathology attempts to do this by examining such questions as `What good might come from such a model? Are we wasting our time? How far can we carry results from model animals, such as rats and mice, without causing a highly distorted view of the field and its goals?' This book serves as the opening volume for a new series, Neurobiological Foundation of Aberrant Behaviors.

Functional Neurology for Practitioners of Manual Medicine

Functional Neurology for Practitioners of Manual Medicine PDF Author: Randy W. Beck
Publisher: Elsevier Health Sciences
ISBN: 0702051047
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 414

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Book Description
Functional Neurology utilizes our understanding of how the nervous system works in the treatment of a variety of clinical conditions. Fuctional Neurology for Practitioners of Manual Medicine takes the reader from the embryonic beginnings of the nervous system, through the biochemistry of receptor activation and on to the functional systems of the nervous system. Both the student and the clinician will find this text a valuable source of information and clinical guidance in the application of detailed neurological principles to their practice. Concepts, relationships and scientific mechanisms of the nervous system function are covered, and this aids the practitioner in developing their clinical approach to a wide variety of patient presentations. This text explores the neurological impact of the application of functional neurological principles, using a detailed clinical approach supported by clinical case studies. The text is fully referenced, which allows the reader to immediately apply the concepts to practice situations. New for this edition are new chapters on pain (including headache) and theoretical evidence, plus extensive electronic resources supporting the text. - Utilizes our understanding of how the nervous system works in the treatment of a variety of clinical conditions - Demystifies the clinical results seen in the practice of Functional Neurology and scientifically validates its clinical success - Addresses function rather than pathology, allowing the reader to gain a firm understanding of the neurological processes seen in health and disease - Contains clinical cases which are designed to be read and answered before starting the chapter to allow the reader to gauge their current state of knowledge - 'Quick Facts' introduce new concepts or allow rapid review of information already presented in the text in a brief and succinct manner - Contains a detailed overview of the concepts relating to our understanding of the development of emotion to demonstrate the link between physical health and the mind - Contains abundant references to support controversial concepts - Contains new chapters on theoretical evidence and the management of pain (including headache) - Contains a wide range of additional case studies, 'clinical conundrums' and key questions and answers for each topic - Bonus DVD contains fully searchable text, a downloadable image bank, brain dissection and video clips of the manipulative techniques and examination procedures found within the volume plus 200 multiple choice questions

The Cognitive Neurosciences

The Cognitive Neurosciences PDF Author: Michael S. Gazzaniga
Publisher: MIT Press
ISBN: 026201341X
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 1377

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Book Description
"The fourth edition of The Cognitive Neurosciences continues to chart new directions in the study of the biologic underpinnings of complex cognition - the relationship between the structural and physiological mechanisms of the nervous system and the psychological reality of the mind. The material in this edition is entirely new, with all chapters written specifically for it." --Book Jacket.