Neural Dynamics of Neurological Disease [Hardcover]

The emerging understanding of age-related neurological disorders suggests that notions of a single causal gene/toxin being responsible is likely incorrect. Neurological disorders probably arise due to a unique intersection of multiple genetic and toxic factors, combined with additional contributions of age, stage of development, immune system actions, and more. This perspective leads to the view that rather than reflecting only one pathway to end-state disease, each is a spectrum disorder, and every individual case is therefore unique.

Neural Dynamics of Neurological Disease argues for a fundamental rethinking of what we think we know about neurological disorders, how they arise and progress, and, crucially, what might be done to cure them. It first introduces the concept of neural dynamics of neurological disease, then examines various diseases and gives examples of the interplay of elements such as neural systems, cell types, and biochemical pathways that can contribute to disease. The concluding chapters point the way to how the emerging notion of neurological disease as a dynamic process may lead to more successful treatment options.

Providing a cross-disciplinary approach to understanding the origin and progression of neurological disease, Neural Dynamics of Neurological Disease is a timely and valuable resource for neuroscientists, researchers, and clinicians.

Preface xv

Acknowledgments xxi

Part I The Dynamics of Neurological Disease 1

1 The Dynamics of Neurological Disease: Current Views and Key Issues 3

1.1 Introduction 4

1.2 The Complexity of Human Neurological Diseases 4

1.3 The Nervous System as an Archetypical Complex System 9

1.4 CNS Signaling Failures: Implications for Neurological Disease 14