Since the first implant of a carbon microelectrode in a rat 35 years ago, there have been substantial advances in the sensitivity, selectivity and temporal resolution of electrochemical techniques. Today, these methods provide neurochemical information that is not accessible by other means. The growing recognition of the versatility of electrochemi

Written by a panel of experts, Methods in Alcohol-Related Neuroscience Research not only provides information of a technical nature but also gives an overview of the many areas in investigating the effects of alcohol on the brain. It gives technical guidance for investigators doing research at the molecular, cellular, systems, and behavioral levels. These techniques include a wide variety of approaches, ranging from gene mapping and examination of molecular interactions of alcohol at the sub-cellular level to recording of neural activities in freely-behaving animals and imaging alcohol effects on the living human brain.

Even before the time of organized scientific investigation, hu mans had begun pondering and attempting to explain the work ing of the brain and the mental and behavioral states it produces. In the last twenty years there has been an almost explosive in crease in brain research. Beginning perhaps with the pioneering efforts of Francis O. Schmitt to establish the Neuroscience Re search Program and the later development of the Society for Neuroscience, there has emerged a large and powerful multi disciplinary research force devoted to understanding even the ru dimentary aspects of brain functioning. Chemists, physicists, and engineers with their special expert ise in quantitative physical measurements have teamed up with the neurobiologists, who best know the texture and design of brains, to produce particularly effective new approaches. No where is this more evident than in the recently developed meth ods like positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance imaging-techniques that allow one to observe on-going brain ac tivity in humans. This volume concerns a considerably more modest approach: the use of microelectrodes to electrochemically monitor certain aspects of chemical dynamics in functioning ani mal brain systems. The method provides signals that can be di rectly related to chemical neurotransmission. It is a relatively new technique, the first practical measurements having been made in the 1970s, and it is continuously undergoing refinement. The organizer of this book, Jay Justice, is eminently qualified for the task.

The field of drug addiction and substance abuse, which was initially confined to behavioral studies, has broadened dramatically. It now includes a vast array of cellular and molecular approaches as well as sophisticated electrophysiological and neurochemical methodologies that bridge the gap between cellular/molecular events and behavior. In many c

Supported with over 280 illustrations and over 160 equations, the book offers cutting-edge guidance on designing integrated circuits for wireless biosensing, body implants, biosensing interfaces, and molecular biology. You discover innovative design techniques and novel materials to help you achieve higher levels circuit and system performance.

we might seek alternative sources of donor tissues. Genetic en- neering, expansion of precursor cells, generation of immortalized cell lines, and transplantation between species are all under active investigation. Although significant difficulties remain for each of these alternatives, the problems appear soluble and relevant knowledge is expanding rapidly. As we enter the twenty-first century, the place of neural tra- plantation in experimental neuroscience is continuing to evolve. Rather than being a topic in its own right, neural transplantation increasingly serves as just another technique in the researcher's armory--alongside lesions, pharmaceuticals, gene transfer, and a variety of other techniques--for the experimental manipulation of brain structure and function. This is particularly true for studies of degeneration, plasticity, regeneration, and recovery of function in the nervous system, topics of increasing importance as experimental neurobiology is required to serve the higher needs of neurological and mental health in aging societies. Within this evolving context, Neural Transplantation Methods seeks to serve a particular need: to provide experimental neu- scientists with a source book of information to enable them to select and adapt transplantation techniques to their own expe- mental programs. All authors have been asked to address prac- cal issues, to enable the reader to assess what is available, what are the alternatives, what are the practical issues to be resolved in applying a particular protocol and getting it to work reliably in their unique experimental context.

Basic Electrophysiological Methods provides a concise and easy-to-read guide on a selection of the most important contemporary electrophysiological techniques, their implementation, applications, and ways in which they can be combined and integrated with neuroscientific techniques. Intended for students, postdocs, and faculty with a basic neuroscience background, this text will not obscure the relevant technical details with textbook neuroscience tutorials as many other books do. Instead, each chapter provides a conscientious overview of the underlying theory -- a comprehensive description of equipment, materials, methods, data management, and analysis -- a troubleshooting guide, and a list of frequently asked questions. No book or online resource can function as strictly a DIY set of instructions on how to implement a complex technique. However, this book provides a fundamental and accessible set of information intended to form a foundation prior to, during, and after hands-on experience and training, greatly facilitating the initial learning process and subsequent fine-tuning of technical details.