Hormones in Neurodegeneration, Neuroprotection, and Neurogenesis


Book Description

As life expectancy increases and population ages, the already enormous impact of neurodegeneration on society will become even larger without better prevention and treatment. Developing strategies to prevent degeneration of neurons and to promote a healthy nervous system is, thus, critical. The development of pharmacological agents that would increase production of new neurons was recently facilitated by the identification of the hormonal regulators of various steps of adult neurogenesis. The proposed book is writen by a group of top world experts involved in the study of the mechanisms of hormonal control of brain damage and repair. The effects of thyroid and steroid hormones (estrogens, androgens, progestins, gluco-mineralo-corticoids, various neurosteroids) or polypeptide hormones (CRF, urocortins, somatostastin, GH/IGF, leptin, prolactin, PACAP, erythropoetin) on neuronal survival and neurogenesis in various neurodegenerative conditions and in brain aging will be discussed in detail. The proposed book is unique because it gives a comprehensive account of the neuroprotective and neurogenic effects of steroid and polypeptide hormones. Furthermore, new pharmacological approaches for treatment of neurodegenerative conditions are presented, based on the neuroprotective and neurogenic properties of natural and synthetic hormones.




Sex Hormones in Neurodegenerative Processes and Diseases


Book Description

The book provides chapters on sex hormones and their modulation in neurodegenerative processes and pathologies, from basic molecular mechanisms, physiology, gender differences, to neuroprotection and clinical aspects for potential novel pharmacotherapy approaches. The book contains 14 chapters written by authors from various biomedical professions, from basic researchers in biology and physiology to medicine and veterinary medicine, pharmacologists, psychiatrist, etc. Chapters sum up the past and current knowledge on sex hormones, representing original new insights into their role in brain functioning, mental disorders and neurodegenerative diseases. The book is written for a broad range of audience, from biomedical students to highly profiled medical specialists and biomedical researchers, helping them to expand their knowledge on sex hormones in neurodegenerative processes and opening new questions for further investigation.




Gene Regulation, Epigenetics and Hormone Signaling


Book Description

The first of its kind, this reference gives a comprehensive but concise introduction to epigenetics before covering the many interactions between hormone regulation and epigenetics at all levels. The contents are very well structured with no overlaps between chapters, and each one features supplementary material for use in presentations. Throughout, major emphasis is placed on pathological conditions, aiming at the many physiologists and developmental biologists who are familiar with the importance and mechanisms of hormone regulation but have a limited background in epigenetics.







Neurodegeneration and Alzheimer's Disease


Book Description

Understanding the impact of diet, exercise, genetics, and hormones on the risk and development of Alzheimer’s and other neurogenerative diseases Diet is widely known to impact on neurological function. Nevertheless, academic texts discussing this relationship are relatively few in number. This book therefore fills an important gap in the current literature. Opening with an overview of neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Alzheimer’s disease, the text then focuses on explaining the means by which glycemic control and lipid metabolism – and associated nutritional and lifestyle variables – may factor into such disorders’ prevention and treatment. An international group of experts in the fields of food science and neurodegeneration have contributed chapters that examine Alzheimer’s disease within a broad range of contexts. Offering dietary, genetic, and hormonal perspectives, the authors explore topics ranging from sugar consumption to digestive fermentation, and Alzheimer’s disease animal models to the cognition-enhancing effects of physical exercise. Also included are overviews of the latest research into current and developing methods of treatment and diagnosis, as well as differential diagnostics. This groundbreaking book: Explores how glucose metabolism, insulin resistance, lipid metabolism, and high intake of refined carbohydrates are linked to Alzheimer's disease Discusses how genetic makeup can impact risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease Examines cognitive changes in neurodegeneration, lists current tests for determining cognitive impairment, and provides information concerning differential diagnosis Discusses potential advantages of increasing antioxidant and micronutrient intake Reviews hormonal influences on neurodegeneration Examines the links between protein intake and Alzheimer’s disease. Neurodegeneration and Alzheimer's Disease is an essential resource for researchers, medical practitioners, dietitians, and students with an interest in neurological diseases and their diagnosis and risk factors, as well as diet-related conditions such as diabetes and obesity. Lifestyle and diet influence neurodegeneration risk, and a better understanding of this evidence amongst health professionals will hopefully lead to greater public awareness of how to reduce the likelihood of these widespread conditions.




Hormones and Brain Plasticity


Book Description

The nervous system has a remarkable capacity for self-reorganization, and in this first systematic analysis of the interaction between hormones and brain plasticity, Luis Miguel Garcia-Segura proposes that hormones modulate metaplasticity in the brain. He covers a wide variety of hormones, brain regions, and neuroplastic events, and also provides a new theoretical background with which to interpret the interaction of hormones and brain remodeling throughout the entire life of the organism.Garcia-Segura argues that hormones are indispensable for adequately adapting the endogenous neuroplastic activity of the brain to the incessant modifications in external and internal environments. Their regulation of neuroplastic events in a given moment predetermines new neuroplastic responses that will occur in the future, adapting brain reorganization to changing physiological and behavioral demands throughout the life of the organism. The cross-regulation of brain plasticity and hormones integrates information originated in multiple endocrine glands and body organs with information coming from the external world in conjunction with the previous history of the organism. Multiple hormonal signals act in concert to regulate the generation of morphological and functional changes in neural cells, as well as the replacement of neurons, glial, and endothelial cells in neural networks. Brain remodeling, in turn, is involved in controlling the activity of the endocrine glands and regulating hormonal secretions. This bidirectional adjustment of brain plasticity in response to hormonal inputs, and adjustment of hormonal concentrations in response to neuroplastic events are crucial for maintaining the stability of the inner milieu and for the generation of adequate behavioral responses in anticipation of--and in adaptation to--new social and environmental circumstances and life events, including pathological conditions.




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




The Female Brain


Book Description

Since Dr. Brizendine wrote The Female Brain ten years ago, the response has been overwhelming. This New York Times bestseller has been translated into more than thirty languages, has sold nearly a million copies between editions, and has most recently inspired a romantic comedy starring Whitney Cummings and Sofia Vergara. And its profound scientific understanding of the nature and experience of the female brain continues to guide women as they pass through life stages, to help men better understand the girls and women in their lives, and to illuminate the delicate emotional machinery of a love relationship. Why are women more verbal than men? Why do women remember details of fights that men can’t remember at all? Why do women tend to form deeper bonds with their female friends than men do with their male counterparts? These and other questions have stumped both sexes throughout the ages. Now, pioneering neuropsychiatrist Louann Brizendine, M.D., brings together the latest findings to show how the unique structure of the female brain determines how women think, what they value, how they communicate, and who they love. While doing research as a medical student at Yale and then as a resident and faculty member at Harvard, Louann Brizendine discovered that almost all of the clinical data in existence on neurology, psychology, and neurobiology focused exclusively on males. In response to the overwhelming need for information on the female mind, Brizendine established the first clinic in the country to study and treat women’s brain function. In The Female Brain, Dr. Brizendine distills all her findings and the latest information from the scientific community in a highly accessible book that educates women about their unique brain/body/behavior. The result: women will come away from this book knowing that they have a lean, mean, communicating machine. Men will develop a serious case of brain envy.




Sex and Gender Differences in Alzheimer's Disease


Book Description

Sex and Gender Differences in Alzheimer's Disease: The Women's Brain Project offers for the first time a critical overview of the evidence documenting sex and gender differences in Alzheimer's disease neurobiology, biomarkers, clinical presentation, treatment, clinical trials and their outcomes, and socioeconomic impact on both patients and caregivers. This knowledge is crucial for clinical development, digital health solutions, as well as social and psychological support to Alzheimer's disease families, in the frame of a precision medicine approach to Alzheimer's disease.This book brings together up-to-date findings from a variety of experts, covering basic neuroscience, epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment, clinical trials development, socioeconomic factors, and psychosocial support. Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia, remains an unmet medical need for the planet. Wide interpersonal variability in disease onset, presentation, and biomarker profile make Alzheimer's a clinical challenge to neuroscientists, clinicians, and drug developers alike, resulting in huge management costs for health systems and society. Not only do women represent the majority of Alzheimer's disease patients, but they also represent two-thirds of caregivers. Understanding sex and gender differences in Alzheimer's disease will lead to novel insights into disease mechanisms, and will be crucial for personalized disease management strategies and solutions, involving both the patient and their family. Endorsements/Reviews: "There is a clear sex and gender gap in outcomes for brain health disorders like Alzheimer's disease, with strikingly negative outcomes for women. This understanding calls for a more systematic way of approaching this issue of inequality. This book effectively highlights and frames inequalities in all areas across the translational spectrum from bench-to-bedside and from boardroom-to-policy and economics. Closing the Brain Health Gap will help economies create recovery and prepare our systems for future global shocks." Harris A. Eyre MBBS, PhD, co-lead, Neuroscience-inspired Policy Initiative, OECD and PRODEO Institute. Instructor in Brain Health Diplomacy, Global Brain Health Institute, UCSF and TCD. "Sex and Gender Differences in Alzheimer's disease is the most important title to emerge on Alzheimer's disease in recent years.This comprehensive, multidisciplinary book is a must read for anyone with a serious interest in dementia prevention, diagnosis, treatment, care, cure and research. Precision medicine is the future of healthcare and this book represents an incredible and necessary resource to guide practice, policy and research in light of the fact that Alzheimer's disease disproportionately affects women. The combination of contributions from the most eminent experts and the most up-to-date research makes this an invaluable resource for clinicians, care providers, academics, researchers and policy makers. Given the complex nature of dementia and the multiple factors that influence risk and disease trajectory the scope of the book is both impressive and important covering sex differences in neurobiological processes, sex and gender differences in clinical aspects and gender differences linked to socioeconomic factors relevant to Alzheimer's disease. If you work in Alzheimer's disease, or indeed other dementias, then Sex and Gender Differences in Alzheimer's disease is a must have for your bookshelf." -- Sabina Brennan, PhD., C.Psychol.,PsSI., National representative for Ireland on Alzheimer Disease International's Medical and Scientific Advisory Panel




Gene Regulation, Epigenetics and Hormone Signaling


Book Description

Das erste Referenzwerk dieser Art mit einer umfassenden und dennoch prägnanten Einführung in die Epigenetik beschäftigt sich mit den unzähligen Interaktionen zwischen Hormonregulation und Epigenetik. Die Inhalte sind gut strukturiert. Es gibt keine Überschneidungen zwischen den Kapiteln und jedes Kapitel beinhaltet Zusatzmaterialien für Präsentationen. Der Schwerpunkt liegt durchgängig auf Erkrankungen. Zielgruppe sind die vielen Physiologen und Entwicklungsbiologen, die zwar mit der Bedeutung und den Mechanismen der Hormonregulation vertraut sind, aber über unzureichendes Hintergrundwissen im Bereich Epigenetik verfügen.