Neurobiology of Disease

The study of the mechanisms by which diseases alter the function of the nervous system was once well described as "Neurological Pathophysiology," the title of previous editions of this book. But when disciplines as diverse as molecular genetics and radiation biophysics converge on the analysis of the nervous system and its disorders, a title with broader meaning is required to encompass them. The change in the book's title reflects a change in its scope, as it includes much more information on functional and anatomical systems than the early editions. New to this fourth edition are three chapters on Memory, Genetic Disorders, and Brain Tumors. Infections are given more extensive treatment, the original chapter being divided into two, the first on bacteria, fungi and parasites, the second on viruses. All other chapters have been updated. For medical students and physicians the text offers and introduction to the scientific basis of clinical neurology--the framework on which diagnosis and treatment are based. For graduate students and scientists in the field of neurobiology, it describes the expression of fundamental mechanisms gone awry, and provides clues for elucidating those mechanisms.