Information on bioactive ether lipids and their involvement in neurological disorders is currently scattered throughout the literature. This book provides readers with a comprehensive description of metabolism of bioactive ether lipids in the brain, activities of enzymes involved in their metabolism, and their involvement in neurological disorders. It is the first book to describe the involvement of these lipids with abnormal signal transduction processes in neurological disorders.

Lipid Mediators and Their Metabolism in the Brain presents readers with cutting edge and comprehensive information not only on the synthesis and degradation of glycerophospholipid-, sphingolipid-, and cholesterol-derived lipid mediators, but also their involvement in neurological disorders. It is hoped that this monograph will be useful not only to postgraduate student and their teachers, but also to research scientists and physicians, who are curious about the generation and roles of lipid mediators in the brain.

It is becoming increasingly evident that the deficiency of n-3 fatty acids in diet is not only associated with cardiovascular diseases, but also involved in stroke, epilepsy and other neurological and neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer disease, Parkinson disease, and peroxisomal diseases. In his newest book, Beneficial Effects of Fish Oil on Human Brain, Dr. Akhlaq A. Farooqui expands on the status and therapeutic importance of n-3 fatty acids (major components of fish oil) and their mediators in normal brain and those with neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric diseases. Farooqui presents the benefits of n-3 fatty acids on Western diet, which is enriched in n-6 fatty acids (major components of vegetable oil) and may promote the above neurological disorders. The book will present readers with cutting edge and comprehensive information on metabolism and roles of neural membrane n-3 fatty acids.

Glycerophospholipid and sphingolipid-derived lipid mediators facilitate the transfer of messages not only from one cell to another but also from one subcellular organelle to another. These molecules are not only components of neural membranes but also storage depots for lipid mediators. Information on the generation and involvement of lipid mediators in neurological disorders is scattered throughout the literature in the form of original papers and reviews. This book will provide readers with a comprehensive description of glycerophospholipid, sphingolipid and cholesterol-derived lipid mediators and their involvement in neurological disorders.

Diet and Health examines the many complex issues concerning diet and its role in increasing or decreasing the risk of chronic disease. It proposes dietary recommendations for reducing the risk of the major diseases and causes of death today: atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (including heart attack and stroke), cancer, high blood pressure, obesity, osteoporosis, diabetes mellitus, liver disease, and dental caries.

Collectively, neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by chronic and progressive loss of neurons in discrete areas of the brain, producing debilitating symptoms such as dementia, loss of memory, loss of sensory or motor capability, decreased overall quality of life eventually leading to premature death. Two types of cell death are known to occur during neurodegeneration: (a) apoptosis and (b) necrosis. The necrosis is characterized by the passive cell swelling, intense mitochondrial damage with rapid loss of ATP, alterations in neural membrane permeability, high calcium influx, and disruption of ion homeostasis. This type of cell death leads to membrane lysis and release of intracellular components that induce inflammatory reactions. Necrotic cell death normally occurs at the core of injury site. In contrast, apoptosis is an active process in which caspases (a group of endoproteases with specificity for aspartate residues in protein) are stimulated. Apoptotic cell death is accompanied by cell shrinkage, dynamic membrane blebbing, chromatin condensation, DNA laddering, loss of phospholipids asymmetry, low ATP levels, and mild calcium overload. This type of cell death normally occurs in penumbral region at the ischemic injury site and in different regions in various neurodegenerative diseases.

In Bioactive lipids, Anna Nicolaou and George Kokotos have brought together an international team of authors to discuss the nomenclature, structures, biochemistry, pharmacology and recent developments in the main classes of bioactive lipids. These lipids are essential components of the cell membrane and play many dynamic roles in mediating and controlling a wide array of cellular activities including membrane structure and organization, metabolic and gene regulation, protein structure and function, energy production, and signalling pathways. The lipid interests of scientists in the pharmaceutical and food industries are converging as the broader significance of bioactive lipids is increasingly recognized. Lipids and lipid-metabolizing enzymes are targeted for the development of new drugs. Meanwhile, functional foods, nutraceuticals and supplements already have lipids as major active ingredients. The food industry will progress from simply using lipids as ingredients, to the formulation of products that influence the synthesis, metabolism and effects of bioactive lipids in the body. These advances in applied lipid biochemistry will build on the fundamental research of lipid scientists in universities worldwide, such as those scientists contributing to Bioactive lipids.