Metals and Oxidative Damage in Neurological Disorders / Edition 1

by James R. Connor

Overview

The purpose of this book is to bring together scientists and clinicians interested in oxidative injury in the nervous system but whose approaches to investigation and treatment design vary widely. Indeed the goal of this book is to show that the investiga­ tive approaches and potential therapeutic interventions perhaps do not vary as widely as some may think. I think that the readers of this book will not read it from front to back, but will pick chapters of interest. Thus, the chapters are organized to contain information that is essential to understanding basic aspects of oxidative injury, and thus have some redundancy. However, within the context of each chapter the reader should hopefully find impetus and direction to go on to another chapter. The book is divided into three seetions. The first section contains reviews of metals and their role in generating oxidative injury. lron is considered in three of these chapters because of its relative abundance in the brain and its potency in inducing free radicals. The second section focuses on mechanisms by which the brain attempts to protect itself from oxidative injury. Some of these mechanisms have the potential to be protective in some situations and potentiaIly damaging in others. The third section contains the clinicaI diseases in which oxidative injury is known to contribute to the pathogenic process. This seetion ends with a chapter on antioxidant therapeutic strate­ gies in neurological disorders.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780306455346
Publisher:	Springer US
Publication date:	09/30/1997
Edition description:	1997
Pages:	374
Product dimensions:	7.01(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.04(d)

About the Author

Connor, James R. (Pennsylvania State Univ)

The contributors represent the specialties of physiology, pharmacology, psychiatry, neurology, pathology, neuropathology, dermatology, and oncology. Most come from universities in the U.S., including Johns Hopkins, Penn State, and UCLA.

Table of Contents

Evidence for Iron Mismanagement in the Brain in Neurological Disorders; J.R. Connor. Iron and Neurotransmitter Function in the Brain; Y. Glinka, et al. Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Brain Iron; G. Bartzokis. Neurochemical Roles of Copper as Antioxidant or Prooxidant; J.R. Prohaska. Manganese Neurotoxicity and Oxidative Damage; M. Aschner. The Role of Zinc in Brain and Nerve Functions; A.S. Prasad. Delivery of Metals to Brain and the Role of the Blood-Brain Barrier; Q.R. Smith, et al. Ferritin: Intracellular Regulator of Metal Availability; J.G. Joshi. Ascorbate: An Antioxidant Neuroprotectant and Extracellular Neuromodulator; G.V. Rebec. Vitamin E: Neurochemical Aspects and Relevance to Nervous System Disorders; G.T. Vatassery. Nitric Oxide and Oxidative Damage in the CNS; D.A. Dawson. Iron and Oxidative Stress in Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Brain Injury: Directions for Therapeutic Intervention; C. Palmer. The Role of Oxidative Processes and Metal Ions in Aging and Alzheimer's Disease; L.A. Shinobu, M.F. Beal. Perspectives on the Mechanisms of Familial Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Caused by Mutations in Superoxide Dismutase; D.R. Borchelt, et al. 3 Additional Chapters. Appendix. Index.

Editorial Reviews

Reviewer: Melanie M. Brandabur, MD (University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine)
Description: The editor has assembled a great deal of information on the involvement of various metals in neuronal oxidative injury as related to neurological disease and treatment.
Purpose: The book includes the writings of many prominent workers from the spectrum of clinical and basic neurosciences. In the first section, the role of various metals (including iron, which is extensively discussed, as well as copper, manganese, zinc, and others) in oxidative processes is discussed. Next, the contributors explore mechanisms by which the brain is protected from these oxidative insults. The final section explores neurological conditions in which these mechanisms may be involved, such as hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, and also discusses potential therapeutic applications based upon these models.
Audience: The book is most useful for those involved in related research in basic neurosciences and those seeking to develop new clinical treatment options for patients afflicted with these conditions, since most of these options do not currently have definitive therapies.
Features: Apart from the striking photomicrographs on the cover, the illustrations and other graphics are functional but not out of the ordinary. The references are current and the substantial index is helpful, particularly in a compilation of this type.
Assessment: This is a well-written book that brings together a cohesive subset of related material and presents it in a useful format. This is an especially timely contribution in view of the current, widespread interest in oxidative processes in neurological disease.

Doody's Review Service

4 Stars! from Doody

The editor has assembled a great deal of information on the involvement of various metals in neuronal oxidative injury as related to neurological disease and treatment. The book includes the writings of many prominent workers from the spectrum of clinical and basic neurosciences. In the first section, the role of various metals (including iron, which is extensively discussed, as well as copper, manganese, zinc, and others) in oxidative processes is discussed. Next, the contributors explore mechanisms by which the brain is protected from these oxidative insults. The final section explores neurological conditions in which these mechanisms may be involved, such as hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, and also discusses potential therapeutic applications based upon these models. The book is most useful for those involved in related research in basic neurosciences and those seeking to develop new clinical treatment options for patients afflicted with these conditions, since most of these options do not currently have definitive therapies. Apart from the striking photomicrographs on the cover, the illustrations and other graphics are functional but not out of the ordinary. The references are current and the substantial index is helpful, particularly in a compilation of this type. This is a well-written book that brings together a cohesive subset of related material and presents it in a useful format. This is an especially timely contribution in view of the current, widespread interest in oxidative processes in neurological disease.

Melanie M. Brandabur

Scientists and clinicians bring a wide range of approaches to research and treatment design relating to oxidative injury in the nervous system. They review metals and their role in generating oxidative injury, particularly iron; detail mechanisms by which the brain attempts to protect itself from oxidative injury; and survey the clinical diseases in which oxidative injury is known to contribute to the pathogenic process. They also propose a common pathway for oxidative injury to the brain, arguing that whatever the mechanism by which the oxidative stress in triggered, eventually a cascade will be initiated that will result in cell death. The model is consistent across diseases and metals. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

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