D. Richter – författare

Biochemical Factors Concerned in the Functional Activity of the Nervous System presents the biological aspects concerned in the functional activity of the nervous system. This book covers several interesting topics concerning the central nervous system, including phospholipids, RNA synthesis, nerve impulse flow, and nerve growth factor. Comprised of 213 chapters, this book begins with an overview of the electron micrographs of calcium–ATP–phospholipid complexes. This text then examines the biochemical and histochemical studies on sectioned rat spinal cords, which demonstrated two types of monoamine-reducing drugs. Other chapters consider the diversity of antagonistic relations between the thiamine derivatives and vitamin B6, which is manifested by changes in the glutamate–GABA, histidine–histamine, tryptophan–serotonin, and tyrosine–noradrenaline systems. This book discusses as well the influence of a conditioned avoidance training experience on the incorporation of radioactive uridine into the RNA of mouse brain. The final chapter deals with the amino acid-incorporating activity of cerebral polyribosomes. This book is a valuable resource for biochemists, neurologists, pharmacologists, and biophysicists.

Schizophrenia Today is a collection of papers presenting conflicting viewpoints on schizophrenia and some focal subjects for future research. The book deals with the definition of schizophrenia and presents various advances in understanding the condition. The text surveys the problems of epidemiology and symptomatology in terms of the etiology and pathogenesis of schizophrenia. Several papers present the societal and cultural aspects of the problem on issues of clinical overview; international collaboration in schizophrenia research; and the societal determinants of schizophrenic behavior. Other papers then discuss the genetic and biochemical approaches in dealing with schizophrenia. One paper concludes that genetic factors play a significant role in the etiology of schizophrenia. The text also reviews the studies conducted by Rolf Gjessing, establishing that mood changes in mental state are related to changes in autonomic activity, metabolic rate, and nitrogen balance. The book also discusses the pharmacological and psychotherapeutic approaches in treating the problem. One paper deals with the personal experience of the writer in using psychoanalysis for treating schizophrenia. The collection will prove valuable for psychiatrists, psychologists, psychoanalysts, and students and researchers dealing with mental diseases.