Molecular Mechanisms Influencing Aggressive Behaviours


Book Description

This book features scientists from a broad spectrum of disciplines discussing recent data on aggression in laboratory animals with particular reference to possible implications for understanding human aggression. Chapters focus on the major current experimental issues in the study of aggression in humans and animals. The extensive discussions deal with specific problems of interpretation at the molecular level, as well as general issues relating to our understanding of human and animal aggression.




Hormones and Aggressive Behavior


Book Description

This volume is an overview of research examining the relationship between hormones and aggressive behavior. The last 15 years have witnessed a tremen dous growth of knowledge in this area, yet reviews written by specialists are virtually nonexistent. This work is an attempt to provide a comprehensive and cohesive synthesis of this literature. Chapters 1-7 provide an analysis of hor monal influences on the major forms of aggressive behavior, including intermale, interfemale, shock-induced, maternal, territorial, and predatory aggression. The focus of Chapters 8-12 is an examination of the mechanisms through which hormones might act to produce changes in agonistic responding. Genetic, de velopmental, neural, and biochemical influences are considered. It is well known that environment, social context, and experience modulate the effects of hor mones on behavior. Thus, Chapters 13-15 are designed to review the literature concerning hormone-pheromone interactions, hormonal responses to compe tition, and the influence of social context on the endocrine system and aggressive behavior. Frequently, the principles advanced by behavioral endocrinologists are based on research in one species, the rodent. To provide a more comparative perspective and to examine specifically the generality of those principles gen erated for rodents, Chapters 16-22 examine hormone-aggression relationships in a variety of species, including fish, birds, amphibians, reptiles, infrahuman primates, humans, ungulates, and insects. This volume should be useful to both beginning and advanced researchers in animal behavior, behavioral endocri nology, physiological psychology, neuroendocrinology, zoology, physiology, and psychiatry.




Functional Genomics and Proteomics in the Clinical Neurosciences


Book Description

The purpose of this work is to familiarize neuroscientists with the available tools for proteome research and their relative abilities and limitations. To know the identities of the thousands of different proteins in a cell, and the modifications to these proteins, along with how the amounts of both of these change in different conditions would revolutionize biology and medicine. While important strides are being made towards achieving the goal of global mRNA analysis, mRNA is not the functional endpoint of gene expression and mRNA expression may not directly equate with protein expression. There are many potential applications for proteomics in neuroscience: determination of the neuro-proteome, comparative protein expression profiling, post-translational protein modification profiling and mapping protein-protein interactions, to name but a few. Functional Genomics and Proteomics in Clinical Neuroscience will comment on all of these applications, but with an emphasis on protein expression profiling. This book combines the basic methodology of genomics and proteomics with the current applications of such technologies in understanding psychiatric illnesses.* Introduction of basic methodologies in genomics and proteomics and their integration in psychiatry* Development of the text in sections related to methods, application and future directions of these rapidly advancing technologies* Use of actual data to illustrate many principles of functional genomics and proteomics. * Introduction to bioinformatics and database management techniques




Genetic Influences on Neural and Behavioral Functions


Book Description

Utilizing the flood of information derived from the Human Genome Project and corresponding efforts to elucidate the mouse genome, Genetic Influences on Neural and Behavioral Functions provides a scholarly catalog, organized logically, of relations between the expression of specific genes, nerve cell biology and behavior, normal and abnormal, in animals AND humans. Sample topics include genes in relation to schiziphrenia, panic disorder, epilepsy, alcoholism, sleep, eating disorders, and more.




Advances in Vasopressin and Oxytocin - From Genes to Behaviour to Disease


Book Description

Vasopressin and oxytocin are the key hormones of the hypothalamo-neurohypophysial system, and are well-known to be critically involved in antidiuresis, labor, and milk ejection. This book highlights the latest research on vasopressin and oxytocin, covering multiple biological aspects. The capacity of both hormones to regulate various aspects of social behaviours including pair-bonding, aggression, maternal love, and sexual behaviour, is a main focus, as are their interactions with a variety of other neuromodulators and transmitters. Moreover, the book illustrates the recent development of vasopressin and oxytocin agonists/antagonists as potential drugs to treat not only disturbances of body fluid homeostasis, but also mental disorders, including social phobia, autism, anxiety, and depression. The promising combination of basic and clinical research, comprising physiology, neuroendocrinology, behavioral biology, pharmacology, imaging and molecular genetics makes this book an essential addition to both experts and scientists new to the field alike. - Comprehensive review of OXT and AVP physiology and behaviour - Each chapter covers a novel aspect of OXT and AVP research and is written by a leading expert - Review articles are ideal for experts and newcomers to the field alike - Discusses fascinating behavioural effects of oxytocin and vasopressin - Summarizes the recent explosion of neuropeptide research, physiology and behaviour, is in one location




The Molecular and Genetic Basis of Neurologic and Psychiatric Disease


Book Description

Completely updated for its Fourth Edition, this book is the most comprehensive, current review of the molecular and genetic basis of neurologic and psychiatric diseases. More than 120 leading experts provide a fresh, new assessment of recent molecular, genetic, and genomic advances, offer new insights into disease pathogenesis, describe the newest available therapies, and explore promising areas of therapeutic development. This edition features an updated section on psychiatric disease and expanded, updated chapters on human genomics, gene therapy, and ethical issues. Six new chapters cover congenital myasthenic syndromes, hereditary spastic paraplegia, ion channel disorders, the phakomatoses, beta-galactosidase deficiency, and prion diseases. A Neurologic Gene Map describes the chromosome locus of all the genetic diseases and their gene product where known. The fully searchable online text will be available on a companion Website. (www.rosenbergneuroandpsychdisease.com)




Biotechnology in Our Lives


Book Description

For a quarter of a century, the Council for Responsible Genetics has provided a unique historical lens into the modern history, science, ethics, and politics of genetic technologies. Since 1983 the Council has had leading scientists, activists, science writers, and public health advocates researching and reporting on a broad spectrum of issues, including genetically engineered foods, biological weapons, genetic privacy and discrimination, reproductive technologies, and human cloning. Biotechnology in Our Lives examines how these issues affect us daily whether we realize it or not. Written for the nonscientist, it looks at the many applications of genetics on the world around us by posing questions such as: What should we know about genetics and childbirth? Can our genes keep us from qualifying for health insurance? Can gene therapy cure cancer? Is behavior genetically determined? Why would the FBI want our genes? Are foreign genes in our food? And much more Ultimately, this definitive book on the subject also encourages us to think about the social, environmental, and moral ramifications of where this technology is taking us.




Molecular Mechanisms of Hormone Actions on Behavior


Book Description

A single volume of 31 articles, Mechanisms of Hormone Actions on Behavior is an authoritative selection of relevant chapters from the Hormones Brain and Behavior 2e MRW, the most comprehensive source of neuroendocrinological information assembled to date (AP June 2009). The study of hormones as they impact the brain and, subsequently, behavior is a central topic in neuroscience, endocrinology and psychiatry. This volume offers an overview of neuroendocrinological topics, approaching the subject from the perspective of the mechanisms which control hormone actions on behavior. Female, male and stress hormones are discussed at the cellular, behavioral and developmental level, and sexual differentiation of the development of hormone-dependent neuronal systems, neuropeptides/neuromodulators, and steroid-inducedneuroplasticity are addressed. There is simply no other current single-volume reference with such comprehensive coverage and depth.Authors selected are the internationally renowned experts for the particular topics on which they write, and the volume is richly illustrated with over 175 figures (over 50 in color). A collection of articles reviewing our fundamental knowledge of the mechanisms of neuroendocrinology, the book provides an essential, affordable reference for researchers, clinicians and graduate students in the area. - The most comprehensive single-volume source of up-to-date data on the mechanisms behind neuroendocrinology, with review articles covering x,y z - Chapters synthesize information otherwise dispersed across a number of journal articles and book chapters, thus saving researchers the time consuming process of finding and integrating this information themselves - Offering outstanding scholarship, each chapter is written by an expert in the topic area and approximately 35% of chapters are written by international contributors - Provides more fully vetted expert knowledge than any existing work with broad appeal for the US, UK and Europe, accurately crediting the contributions to research in those regions - Heavily illustrated with 175 figures, approximately 54 in color - Presents material in most visually useful form for the reader




Biology of Aggression


Book Description

Unchecked aggression and violence take a significant toll on society. With recent advances in pharmacology and genetic manipulation techniques, new interest has developed in the biological mechanisms of aggression. The primary goal of this title is to summarise and synthesis recent advances in the subject.




Emotion


Book Description