Brain biochemistry and brain disorders Book

1	Introduction to brain function	1
2	Overall structure of the brain at the neuroanatomical level	3
	Structural and functional subdivision of the brain	4
	The blood supply to the brain and the cerebrospinal fluid	12
3	Cellular structure of the brain	15
	Neurones	15
	Neuroglial cells	28
	Extracellular space	32
4	Electrical signalling in neurones	33
	The resting membrane potential of cell membranes	33
	Excitability of the neuronal membrane	35
5	Chemical signalling at the synapse - synaptic transmission	48
	An overview of chemical signalling at the synapse	48
	Neurotransmitters and neuromodulators	49
	Details of the individual stages of synaptic transmission	51
6	Receptors and receptor mechanisms	78
	Assays for receptors	78
	The concept of two classes of neurotransmitter receptor	83
	Detailed structural and functional analysis of receptors	85
	Regulation of receptor activity	98
7	Functional properties of neurones	104
	Networks and pathways formed by neurones	104
	Regular groupings of neurones	105
	Information flow within neuronal circuitry	113
	Neuronal circuits within the brain	116
	Details of an electrical circuit in the central nervous system	122
	The overall flow of information in the brain and within the regions of the cerebral cortex	125
	Artificial neural networks	129
8	The mind-body problem	135
	Historical view of the mind-body problem	136
	A hypothesis for mental function	139
	A coded representation of the world	140
	Learning and memory	141
	Consciousness of self and of the world	142
	Thinking	143
9	Disorders of human brain - a general introduction	146
	Methods for the analysis of human brain function	147
	Epidemiological and genetic approaches	157
10	Parkinson's disease	161
	Clinical description	161
	Neuropathological observations	163
	Treatments for Parkinson's disease	166
	Theories of the aetiology of Parkinson's disease	171
	Implications for normal brain function	178
11	Huntington's disease	187
	Clinical description	188
	Neuropathological observations	189
	Treatment of Huntington's disease	193
	Theories of the aetiology of Huntington's disease	193
	Molecular genetics in the analysis of Huntington's disease	195
	Disordered brain function in Huntington's disease	197
12	Alzheimer's disease	201
	Clinical features	203
	Neuropathological observations	204
	Neurochemical observations	208
	Theories of the aetiology of Alzheimer's disease	210
	Treatments for Alzheimer's disease	222
	Relation of brain changes seen in Alzheimer's disease to normal brain function	224
13	Schizophrenia	226
	Clinical features	226
	Neuropathological observations	233
	Neurochemical observations	234
	Treatments for schizophrenia	237
	Theories of the aetiology of schizophrenia	247
	Disordered brain function in schizophrenia	253
14	Affective disorders (depression and mania)	258
	Clinical description	258
	Neuropathological observations	265
	Neurochemical observations	266
	Treatments for affective disorders	269
	Theories of the aetiology of affective disorders	279
	Disordered brain function in depression	289
15	Anxiety	293
	Clinical description	293
	Neuropathological and biochemical changes in anxiety states	296
	Treatments for anxiety and related neuroses	297
	Theories of aetiology and brain function in anxiety	304
16	The present and the future	313
	Bibliography	315
	Index	337