Excitatory Amino Acids and the Cerebral Cortex

Excitatory Amino Acids and the Cerebral Cortex PDF Author: Fiorenzo Conti
Publisher: MIT Press
ISBN: 9780262032384
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 522

Get Book Here

Book Description
It has recently become clear that the excitatory amino acids and their receptors are critically linked to normal processes of development and synaptic transmission, and to learning and memory, as well as to identifiable disease processes such as Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy, and cortical damage due to stroke/ischemia. Moreover, the pharmacological nature and chemical structures of many of the receptors and binding sites for these synaptic mediators and their modulators are becoming known, thereby enabling the cloning of each receptor subtype. Such advances may help immeasurably in the identification of endogenous ligands for the amino acid receptors and the development of pharmaceuticals and other therapeutic interventions in coming years.

Veterinary Psychopharmacology

Veterinary Psychopharmacology PDF Author: Sharon L. Crowell-Davis
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 0470344148
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 288

Get Book Here

Book Description
Every day veterinarians in practice are asked to treat petsexhibiting problem behaviors. In the last several yearspharmacologic treatments of behavior have made significant advancesand can serve as a critical part of therapy. Veterinary Pscyhopharmacology is a complete source of currentknowledge on the subject of pharmacologic behavior modificationthat veterinarians can turn to for the answers they need. Classification of disorders is eschewed in favor of in-depthexplanations of pharmacologic options in inducing behavior changes.Special emphasis is given to explaining the underlying mechanism ofpharmacologic agents used in therapy; thus, veterinarians will knownot only which drugs to prescribe but why they should be prescribedand how they work. Veterinary behaviorists, their students and residents, veterinarypractitioners of all levels, and veterinary students will find thisbook invaluable in providing information about their patients'behavior problems and the psychoactive medications that might helpthem.

Astrocytes and Epilepsy

Astrocytes and Epilepsy PDF Author: Jacqueline A. Hubbard
Publisher: Academic Press
ISBN: 0128026243
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 395

Get Book Here

Book Description
Epilepsy is a devastating group of neurological disorders characterized by periodic and unpredictable seizure activity in the brain. There is a critical need for new drugs and approaches given than at least one-third of all epilepsy patients are not made free of seizures by existing medications and become "medically refractory". Much of epilepsy research has focused on neuronal therapeutic targets, but current antiepileptic drugs often cause severe cognitive, developmental, and behavioral side effects. Recent findings indicate a critical contribution of astrocytes, star-shaped glial cells in the brain, to neuronal and network excitability and seizure activity. Furthermore, many important cellular and molecular changes occur in astrocytes in epileptic tissue in both humans and animal models of epilepsy. The goal of Astrocytes and Epilepsy is to comprehensively review exciting findings linking changes in astrocytes to functional changes responsible for epilepsy for the first time in book format. These insights into astrocyte contribution to seizure susceptibility indicate that astrocytes may represent an important new therapeutic target in the control of epilepsy. Astrocytes and Epilepsy includes background explanatory text on astrocyte morphology and physiology, epilepsy models and syndromes, and evidence from both human tissue studies and animal models linking functional changes in astrocytes to epilepsy. Beautifully labelled diagrams are presented and relevant figures from the literature are reproduced to elucidate key findings and concepts in this rapidly emerging field. Astrocytes and Epilepsy is written for neuroscientists, epilepsy researchers, astrocyte investigators as well as neurologists and other specialists caring for patients with epilepsy. - Presents the first comprehensive book to synthesize historical and recent research on astrocytes and epilepsy into one coherent volume - Provides a great resource on the field of astrocyte biology and astrocyte-neuron interactions - Details potential therapeutic targets, including chapters on gap junctions, water and potassium channels, glutamate and adenosine metabolism, and inflammation

Kainic Acid as a Tool in Neurobiology

Kainic Acid as a Tool in Neurobiology PDF Author: Edith G. McGeer
Publisher: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
ISBN:
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 296

Get Book Here

Book Description


Glutamate-Related Biomarkers in Drug Development for Disorders of the Nervous System

Glutamate-Related Biomarkers in Drug Development for Disorders of the Nervous System PDF Author: Institute of Medicine
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309212219
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 74

Get Book Here

Book Description
Glutamate is the most pervasive neurotransmitter in the central nervous system (CNS). Despite this fact, no validated biological markers, or biomarkers, currently exist for measuring glutamate pathology in CNS disorders or injuries. Glutamate dysfunction has been associated with an extensive range of nervous system diseases and disorders. Problems with how the neurotransmitter glutamate functions in the brain have been linked to a wide variety of disorders, including schizophrenia, Alzheimer's, substance abuse, and traumatic brain injury. These conditions are widespread, affecting a large portion of the United States population, and remain difficult to treat. Efforts to understand, treat, and prevent glutamate-related disorders can be aided by the identification of valid biomarkers. The Institute of Medicine's Forum on Neuroscience and Nervous System Disorders held a workshop on June 21-22, 2010, to explore ways to accelerate the development, validation, and implementation of such biomarkers. Glutamate-Related Biomarkers in Drug Development for Disorders of the Nervous System: Workshop Summary investigates promising current and emerging technologies, and outlines strategies to procure resources and tools to advance drug development for associated nervous system disorders. Moreover, this report highlights presentations by expert panelists, and the open panel discussions that occurred during the workshop.

Introduction to Neuropsychopharmacology

Introduction to Neuropsychopharmacology PDF Author: Leslie Iversen
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0195380533
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 568

Get Book Here

Book Description
The text ranges from drugs that affect the mood and behavior to hypnotics, narcotics, anticonvulsants, and analgesics, as well as a variety of drugs that affect the autonomic nervous system and psychoactive drugs used for non-medical reasons - nicotine, alcohol, opiates, psychostimulants and cannabis."--BOOK JACKET.

Excitatory Amino Acids and Epilepsy

Excitatory Amino Acids and Epilepsy PDF Author: Robert Schwarcz
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 1468479717
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 702

Get Book Here

Book Description
Human epilepsy is a major public health problem affecting approximately 2 persons per 1000. It is particularly frequent in ohildren where convul sions may lead to brain damage and subsequent seizure activity in adulthood. Temporal lobe epilepsy (synonyms include limbic epilepsy. psychomotor epilepsy and complex partial epilepsy) is the most devastating form of epilepsy in the adult population since: a) it is often extremely resistant to currently available anticonvulsant drugs (i.e •• it is more resistant than tonico-clonic or grand mal seizures) and b) it includes loss of consciousness. thereby limiting performance of many normal functions and leaving the individual susceptible to bodily injury. It is also associated with nerve cell loss. in particular in the hippocampus and other structures of the temporal lobes. In order to promote an appropriate therapy it is essential to understand the etiology of seizures and its relationship to brain damage. Basic research on epilepsy also provides a very useful vehicle to learn about the way the brain functions under normal conditions. For instance. much of our present understanding of the mechanisms of action of GABA and benzo diazepines. control of neuronal activity. etc. has been derived from such stUdies.

Neurobiology of the Locus Coeruleus

Neurobiology of the Locus Coeruleus PDF Author:
Publisher: Elsevier
ISBN: 0080862136
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 657

Get Book Here

Book Description
Neurobiology of the Locus Coeruleus

Ageing and Dementia

Ageing and Dementia PDF Author: Kurt Jellinger
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 9783211837979
Category : Gardening
Languages : en
Pages : 400

Get Book Here

Book Description
Epidemiological studies, modern clinical, neuroimaging, neuropsychological, molecular biological, and genetic studies have considerably enhanced our knowledge about ageing processes of the human brain, its sequelae, diagnostic, and therapeutic possibilities and limits. In addition to Alzheimer's disease and other degenerative dementias, the impact of cerebrovascular lesions and their risk factors in the pathogenesis of cognitive disorders of the aged are increasingly acknowledged, and the recognition of mild cognitive impairment as a frequent initial stage of developing dementia is becoming an increasingly important diagnostic and therapeutic problem. The included papers were presented at the 7th International Symposium in Graz, Sept. 2001 and give a timely overview of the current and future concepts of pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment strategies of pathological brain ageing and dementias, early recognition of mild cognitive impairment and future possiblities of prevention of dementing processes.

The Glutamate/GABA-Glutamine Cycle

The Glutamate/GABA-Glutamine Cycle PDF Author: Arne Schousboe
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 3319450964
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 420

Get Book Here

Book Description
Fundamental biochemical studies of basic brain metabolism focusing on the neuroactive amino acids glutamate and GABA combined with the seminal observation that one of the key enzymes, glutamine synthetase is localized in astroglial cells but not in neurons resulted in the formulation of the term “The Glutamate-Glutamine Cycle.” In this cycle glutamate released from neurons is taken up by surrounding astrocytes, amidated by the action of glutamine synthetase to glutamine which can be transferred back to the neurons. The conversion of glutamate to glutamine is like a stealth technology, hiding the glutamate molecule which would be highly toxic to neurons due to its excitotoxic action. This series of reactions require the concerted and precise interaction of a number of enzymes and plasma membrane transporters, and this volume provides in-depth descriptions of these processes. Obviously such a series of complicated reactions may well be prone to malfunction and therefore neurological diseases are likely to be associated with such malfunction of the enzymes and transporters involved in the cycle. These aspects are also discussed in several chapters of the book. A number of leading experts in neuroscience including intermediary metabolism, enzymology and transporter physiology have contributed to this book which provides comprehensive discussions of these different aspects of the functional importance of the glutamate-glutamine cycle coupling homeostasis of glutamatergic, excitatory neurotransmission to basic aspects of brain energy metabolism. This book will be of particular importance for students as well as professionals interested in these fundamental processes involved in brain function and dysfunction.

Factors Affecting Neurological Aging

Factors Affecting Neurological Aging PDF Author: Colin R Martin
Publisher: Academic Press
ISBN: 0128179910
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 688

Get Book Here

Book Description
Factors Affecting Neurological Aging: Genetics, Neurology, Behavior, and Diet is a comprehensive reference on the genetic and behavioral features associated with neurological aging and associated disorders. This book discusses the mechanisms underlying neurological aging and provides readers with a detailed introduction to the aging of neural connections and complexities in biological circuitries, as well as the physiological, behavioral, molecular, and cellular features of neurological aging. Finally, this comprehensive resource examines the use of animal modeling of aging and neurological disease. - Provides the most comprehensive coverage on a broad range of topics related to the neuroscience of aging - Features sections on the genetic components that influence aging and diseases of aging - Focuses on neurological diseases and conditions linked to aging, environmental factors and clinical recommendations - Includes more than 500 illustrations and tables