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

Epidemiological studies, modern clinical, neuroimaging, neuropsychological, molecular biological, and genetic studies have considerably enhanced our knowledge about ageing processes of the human brain, its sequelae, diagnostic, and therapeutic possibilities and limits. In addition to Alzheimer's disease and other degenerative dementias, the impact of cerebrovascular lesions and their risk factors in the pathogenesis of cognitive disorders of the aged are increasingly acknowledged, and the recognition of mild cognitive impairment as a frequent initial stage of developing dementia is becoming an increasingly important diagnostic and therapeutic problem. The included papers were presented at the 7th International Symposium in Graz, Sept. 2001 and give a timely overview of the current and future concepts of pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment strategies of pathological brain ageing and dementias, early recognition of mild cognitive impairment and future possiblities of prevention of dementing processes.

Studies in human patients and animal models of disease suggest a strong correlation between defects in dendrite development and common neurological disorders such as autism. Much of this book is thus dedicated toward highlighting recent advances in our understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms that regulate the development and maintenance of dendrites, a crucial component of neurons. The book begins by presenting the current state of knowledge on the building blocks or cell biology of dendrites. Mechanisms that sculpt the stereotypic architecture of dendritic arbors and shape their connectivity are also discussed, along with recent work describing how dendritic organization and connectivity are perturbed in disease. A unique aspect of the book is its exploration of diverse neuronal cell types across vertebrates and invertebrates, allowing a comparison of mechanisms across distinct circuits and species. The book comprises six parts, which cover the major advances in the field: Part 1, Introduction; Part 2, Basic Biology of Dendrites; Part 3, Patterning Dendritic Architecture of Neurons and Their Populations; Part 4, Cellular and Molecular Control of Dendrite Development and Maintenance; Part 5, Synapse Formation onto Dendrites; and Part 6, Dendrites in Disease. The book offers an excellent point of entry for students interested in neuroscience, as well as for clinicians.

This comprehensive reference provides a detailed overview of current concepts regarding the cause of Parkinson's disease-emphasizing the issues involved in the design, implementation, and analysis of epidemiological studies of parkinsonism.

This handbook provides a comprehensive survey of what is now known about psychological development, from birth to biological maturity, and it highlights how cultural, social, cognitive, neural, and molecular processes work together to yield human behavior and changes in human behavior.

This book is a collection of classical as well as innovative methods used to investigate axon degeneration with a particular focus on addressing the common challenges encountered while performing these procedures. Particular attention is devoted to the study of axon loss in several model organisms, as each poses unique challenges and provides powerful advantages. Written for the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, Axon Degeneration: Methods and Protocols is an ideal guide for facilitating the application and further development of these protocols, which will help the scientific community tackle important questions regarding axon degeneration. Chapters 2, 3, and 20 are available Open Access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.