The Neurobiology of Schizophrenia begins with an overview of the various facets and levels of schizophrenia pathophysiology, ranging systematically from its genetic basis over changes in neurochemistry and electrophysiology to a systemic neural circuits level. When possible, the editors point out connections between the various systems. The editors also depict methods and research strategies used in the respective field. The individual backgrounds of the two editors promote a synthesis between basic neuroscience and clinical relevance. - Provides a comprehensive overview of neurobiological aspects of schizophrenia - Discusses schizophrenia at behavioral, cognitive, clinical, electrophysiological, molecular, and genetic levels - Edited by a translational researcher and a psychiatrist to promote synthesis between basic neuroscience and clinical relevance - Elucidates connections between the various systems depicted, when possible

Brain disordersâ€"neurological, psychiatric, and developmentalâ€"now affect at least 250 million people in the developing world, and this number is expected to rise as life expectancy increases. Yet public and private health systems in developing countries have paid relatively little attention to brain disorders. The negative attitudes, prejudice, and stigma that often surround many of these disorders have contributed to this neglect. Lacking proper diagnosis and treatment, millions of individual lives are lost to disability and death. Such conditions exact both personal and economic costs on families, communities, and nations. The report describes the causes and risk factors associated with brain disorders. It focuses on six representative brain disorders that are prevalent in developing countries: developmental disabilities, epilepsy, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, and stroke. The report makes detailed recommendations of ways to reduce the toll exacted by these six disorders. In broader strokes, the report also proposes six major strategies toward reducing the overall burden of brain disorders in the developing world.

Over the last two decades, molecular genetics and brain imaging have guided efforts to find the causes of schizophrenia. It is becoming increasingly clear that many genes are involved in schizophrenia and that they interact with other factors in very complex ways, which have not yet been elucidated. Neuroimaging techniques have allowed scientists and physicians to examine brain structure, function, and chemistry in living patients with schizophrenia but results so far have been disappointing. No two patients seem to share exactly the same combination of clinical symptoms or physical findings. Yet all have the syndrome recognized as schizophrenia. The author of this accessible, well-written book argues that it is time to set aside the search for a single cause of schizophrenia and focus on the disease's final common pathway. He highlights clues from a wide range of research, including neurotransmitter, psychophysiological, and brain imaging studies. He then describes possibilities for the final common pathway at an understandable level in the context of what is already known about schizophrenia. While there are no preferred models of schizophrenia, a pattern is emerging which implicates those structures in the brain known to be important in integrating perception, cognition, and affect. A better understanding of these processes will be critical for developing more effective treatments. This book will help advance that effort. It will be of great value to psychiatrists, psychologists, neurologists, neuroimagers, and basic scientists working in the field of schizophrenia research, and to their students and trainees. It will also be of interest to clinicians and scientists concerned with other neuropsychiatric disorders, and to the families of those diagnosed with schizophrenia.

Our understanding of the neurobiological basis of psychiatric disease has accelerated in the past five years. The fourth edition of Neurobiology of Mental Illness has been completely revamped given these advances and discoveries on the neurobiologic foundations of psychiatry. Like its predecessors the book begins with an overview of the basic science. The emerging technologies in Section 2 have been extensively redone to match the progress in the field including new chapters on the applications of stem cells, optogenetics, and image guided stimulation to our understanding and treatment of psychiatric disorders. Sections' 3 through 8 pertain to the major psychiatric syndromes-the psychoses, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, substance use disorders, dementias, and disorders of childhood-onset. Each of these sections includes our knowledge of their etiology, pathophysiology, and treatment. The final section discusses special topic areas including the neurobiology of sleep, resilience, social attachment, aggression, personality disorders and eating disorders. In all, there are 32 new chapters in this volume including unique insights on DSM-5, the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) from NIMH, and a perspective on the continuing challenges of diagnosis given what we know of the brain and the mechanisms pertaining to mental illness. This book provides information from numerous levels of analysis including molecular biology and genetics, cellular physiology, neuroanatomy, neuropharmacology, epidemiology, and behavior. In doing so it translates information from the basic laboratory to the clinical laboratory and finally to clinical treatment. No other book distills the basic science and underpinnings of mental disorders and explains the clinical significance to the scope and breadth of this classic text. The result is an excellent and cutting-edge resource for psychiatric residents, psychiatric researchers and doctoral students in neurochemistry and the neurosciences.

What is schizophrenia? This is one of the most controversial questions in psychiatry and mental health research; however, in the last twenty years, there have been significant advances in our understanding of the topic. This book provides a balanced, comprehensive and up-to-date overview of the neuropathology of schizophrenia and its interpretation, covering the latest evidence derived from all fields of research, from brain scans to microscopy. The authors include many of the foremost international authorities in this rapidly developing field.

Schizophrenia may not be a single disease, but the result of a diverse set of related conditions. Modern neuroscience is beginning to reveal some of the genetic and environmental underpinnings of schizophrenia; however, an approach less well travelled is to examine the medical disorders that produce symptoms resembling schizophrenia. This book is the first major attempt to bring together the diseases that produce what has been termed 'secondary schizophrenia'. International experts from diverse backgrounds ask the questions: does this medical disorder, or drug, or condition cause psychosis? If yes, does it resemble schizophrenia? What mechanisms form the basis of this relationship? What implications does this understanding have for aetiology and treatment? The answers are a feast for clinicians and researchers of psychosis and schizophrenia. They mark the next step in trying to meet the most important challenge to modern neuroscience – understanding and conquering this most mysterious of human diseases.

Recent years have witnessed major advances in the study of neuroscience which have increased our understanding of the relationship between cerebral processes and behavioural, cognitive and emotional disorders. This series aims to monitor important research developments in the field of biological psychiatry and their relevance to clinical practice. Since the 1950s there has been significant progress in our understanding of the neurobiology of schizophrenia. This important volume illustrates these new developments, particularly in terms of pharmacotherapeutics, pathogenesis and research methodology. Eminent scientists from around the world discuss conceptual issues, epidemiology, genetic analysis of psychotic disturbances, neuropathological changes and brain imaging studies, atypical neuroleptics, psychopharmacology of schizophrenia, neuropeptide involvement, neurophysiology and information processing in schizophrenia. Also highlighted are the similarities between childhood developmental disorders and schizophrenia, as well as the relatively neglected area of biological factors in childhood psychosis and their predictive value in adult psychopathology. Psychiatrists, neuroscientists, pharmacologists, psychologists, physicians and general practitioners will find this authoritative state-of-the-art review important and informative reading.