Encyclopedia of Basic Epilepsy Research


Book Description

As a truly translational area of biomedical investigation, epilepsy research spans an extraordinary breadth of subjects and involves virtually every tool that modern neuroscience has at its disposal. The Encyclopedia of Basic Epilepsy Research provides an up to date, comprehensive reference for all epilepsy researchers. With an expert list of authors, the encyclopedia covers the full spectrum of research activities from genes and molecules to animal models and human patients. The encyclopedia's electronic format also provides unparalleled access to frequent updates and additions, while the limited edition print version provides another option for owning this content. The Encyclopedia of Basic Epilepsy Research is an essential resource for researchers of all levels and clinicians who study epilepsy. The only comprehensive reference for basic research and current activities in epilepsy Electronic format provides fast and easy access to updates and additions, with limited print version available as well Contains over 85 articles, all written by experts in epilepsy research







International Review of Neurobiology


Book Description

International Review of Neurobiology




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


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.




Neural Transplants


Book Description

The story of mammalian neural transplantation really begins eighty-one years ago. In Chicago in December of 1903, a 34-year-old physician, Elizabeth Hopkins Dunn, working as a research assistant in neurology, initiated a series of experiments to examine the ability of neonatal rat cerebral tissue to survive transplantation into the brain of matched littermates. Out of 46 attempts, four clearly successful grafts were identified. The publication of Dunn's results in 1917, the first credible report to demonstrate the feasibility of mammalian CNS transplants, generated little interest. In fact, the next significant experiment in this field did not appear until 1930. The field continued to grow slowly and quietly as investigators gradually realized the value of neural trans plantation to study problems of development and plasticity in the mammalian nervous system. With the discovery in 1979 that grafted neurons were capable of appropriate and functional interactions with the host brain, interest in neural transplantation esca lated sharply. The extraordinary opportunities created by using functional neural trans plants in investigating basic issues in neurobiology, as well as the clinical implications, excited both scientists and the public. The popularity of neural transplantation has been growing rapidly in the past five years and shows no signs of abating. The present volume was designed to meet two needs created by the rapid growth of this subdiscipline of neurobiology. The first was to provide a thorough review of the experimental foundations of neural transplantation.




Translational Research in Traumatic Brain Injury


Book Description

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 developme




Models of Seizures and Epilepsy


Book Description

Models of Seizures and Epilepsy, Second Edition, is a valuable, practical reference for investigators who are searching for the most appropriate laboratory models to address key questions in the field. The book also provides an important background for physicians, fellows, and students, offering insight into the potential for advances in epilepsy research as well as R&D drug development. Contents include the current spectrum of models available to model different epilepsy syndromes, epilepsy in transgenic animals, comorbidities in models of epilepsy, and novel technologies to study seizures and epilepsies in animals. - Provides a comprehensive reference detailing animal models of epilepsy and seizure - Offers insights on the use of novel technologies that can be applied in experimental epilepsy research - Edited by leading experts in the field that provide not only technical reviews of these models but also conceptual critiques - Comments on the strengths and limitations of various models, including their relationship to clinical phenomenology and their value in developing better understanding and treatments




Excitatory Amino Acids and Epilepsy


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.




Neurotoxicology


Book Description