Andrew C. Papanicolaou – författare

Fifty Years of Magnetoencephalography celebrates the first half century of research in and clinical applications of magnetoencephalography (MEG). It catalogs and documents its evolution as a means of imaging the ongoing activity of the brain and the activation of particular neuronal networks within it that mediate sensory motor and higher functions like language. The volume's first section looks at the discovery of MEG and its first tentative applications by three of its founders. The following sections detail the rapid progress in the development of the instrumentation necessary for recording noninvasively the magnetic signals on the head that are associated with the brain activity; improvements in the techniques for analyzing the magnetic signals and reconstructing, on their basis, the functional images of brain activity; and improvements in our understanding of the nature and significance of those signals. Subsequent sections of the book detail the main clinical applications of MEG in localizing brain areas that contain sources of epileptiform activity and areas encompassing parts of functional networks essential for motor and sensory function as well as for language that have become an essential part of planning for brain surgery in many epilepsy and tumor surgery centers around the world. In addition, several chapters describe the most current efforts aiming at expanding the utility of MEG in clinical diagnosis and theoretical research.

This concise but comprehensive text provides a systematic account of the memory disorders, whether they result from psychological stress, traumatic injury, stroke, or degenerative disease of the brain. The major amnesia syndromes are covered in consistently organized chapters that give a clear description of the clinical signs and symptoms, predisposing factors, prevalence and prognosis, pathophysiology to the extent that it is known, diagnostic approaches including tests used to evaluate the disorders, and therapeutic efforts. The book's emphasis is on facts rather than theory, and readers from a variety of disciplines will appreciate its clear, jargon-free, well-organized assessment of the state of knowledge about the memory disorders. These disciplines include neurobiology, neuropsychology, psychiatry, cognitive neuroscience, rehabilitation medicine, and gerontology. Even theorists will find the book useful since any theory of memory and its neuropsychological mechanisms must be constrained by the facts of amnesia if it is to be considered complete.The book's clearcut scheme of organization will enhance its value and user-friendliness. It divides the amnesias into three types: progressive, permanent, and transient. The first type includes amnesias associated with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, and with vascular dementias, contrasting them with memory decline resulting from normal aging. The second type consists of classis amnesic syndromes associated with limbic lesions of various etiologies such as Korsakoff's encephalopathy and traumatic brain injuries. The third type includes transient global, transient epileptic, and ECT-induced amnesias as well as the reversible psychogenic amnesias associated with dissociative and fugue states. These discussions are preceded by two introductory chapters that define the mnemonic and amnesic phenomena, classify the various memory systems and functions, and describe the putative brain circuitry underlying these functions, including molecular mechanisms, neurotransmitter systems, and the effects of stress-related hormones and drugs, with the aid of magnetic resonance images and anatomical drawings.

The Oxford Handbook of Functional Brain Imaging in Neuropsychology and Cognitive Neurosciences describes in a readily accessible manner the several functional neuroimaging methods and critically appraises their applications that today account for a large part of the contemporary cognitive neuroscience and neuropsychology literature. The complexity and the novelty of these methods often cloud appreciation of the methods' contributions and future promise. The Handbook begins with an overview of the basic concepts of functional brain imaging common to all methods, and proceeds with a description of each of them, namely magnetoencephalography (MEG), functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), positron emission tomography (PET), diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Its second part covers the various research applications of functional neuroimaging on issues like the function of the default mode network; the possibility and the utility of imaging of consciousness; the search for mnemonic traces of concepts; human will and decision-making; motor cognition; language; the mechanisms of affective states and pain; the presurgical mapping of the brain; and others. As such, the volume reviews the methods and their contributions to current research and comments on the degree to which they have enhanced our understanding of the relation between neurophysiological activity and sensory, motor, and cognitive functions. Moreover, it carefully considers realistic contributions of functional neuroimaging to future endeavors in cognitive neuroscience, medicine, and neuropsychology.

Covering both the applications and the related theory, A Concise Guide to Intraoperative Monitoring provides a general but comprehensive introduction to IOM. Unlike existing texts that typically report the results of specific studies, this book presents comprehensive coverage of the entire procedure, as well as the specific protocols used in hospital practice, examples of typical recordings, possible problems, and recommended solutions. At the end of each chapter the author poses several questions for review. These questions help technologists and medical residents in their preparation for the board exams. Taken together, these features make the book an ideal reference or training manual.A Concise Guide to Intraoperative Monitoring begins by discussing the basic principles underlying the generation of bioelectrical signals. It then describes the electronic equipment and the various electrophysiological procedures involved in IOM. From this foundation, the book gradually advances to more specific topics, such as surgical procedures, neuronal structures at risk, the optimum combinations of tests to administer, and the proper interpretation of test results. The materialalso provides you with a background on general anesthesia and analyzes the effects of various drugs on electrophysiological recordings. A Concise Guide to Intraoperative Monitoring also discusses the proper placement of stimulation and recording electrodes, as well as intervention strategies and equipment troubleshooting.