Publisher's Synopsis
An in-depth look at the most recent clinical and laboratory findings on central nervous system dysfunctions is provided in this authoritative text. It examines new hypotheses on the origins of such disorders as autism, epilepsy, and Down's Syndrome and addresses the classical and more recent technologies used to diagnose and assess these diseases.;The volume begins with coverage of the antecedents of cerebral palsy and seizure disorders, followed by a series of informative reports on the role of synaptic mechanisms in the nervous system, brain injury, and birth defects. Next, the use of such sopihsticated imaging techniques as PET and MRI in the diagnosis of abnormal brain function and development are described, as well as a comparison of neruoanatomical and magnetic resonance imaging studies on the role of cerebellum in autism and the role of cell interactions and timing on early cerebellar development. The volume also includes a review of the future prospects and pitfalls for enzyme and gene therapy of phenylketonuria and storage diseases. Other topics highlighted include: neuroanatomic studies of dyslexia and autism; expression studies of the gene encoding the Alzheimer's and Down's Syndrome amyloid peptide; gene mapping in Duchenne muscular dystrophy; neuropsychological approaches to the autistic syndrome.
