Brain biochemistry and brain disorders

Synopsis

One of the major challenges facing science is understanding the relationship between the structure of the brain and the functions it generates, and in particular how this function can be disturbed in brain disorders. This book addresses this challenge by describing the brain at theneuroanatomical, cellular, and subcellular levels, and analysing how the cellular components are assembled into functional arrays. This leads to a discussion of the concept of mind, and modern theories of mind based on the function of neurones. The final part of the book considers disorders of thebrain, looking in detail at Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease, schizophrenia, depression and anxiety. In each case, emphasis is placed on the relationship between changes in the brain at the biochemical level and changes in function at the behavioural and psychologicallevel. By bridging the gap between basic and clinical sciences, this book provides a new perspective on brain function and brain disorders. It explains key concepts clearly, and so will give students of neuroscience and related subjects a thorough introduction to this key topic, and a foundation forfuture study. Its unique approach means that it will give researchers new insights into their subject, as well as acting as a concise review and reference text.