It is becoming increasingly realized that adenosine plays an important role in the central metabolism and blood flow and that therapeutic possibilities may arise from the pharmacological manipulation of the adenosine system. The growing interest in this field has prompted a group of international experts to contribute to this volume on adenosine. The book contains thorough reviews on adenosine research and presents numerous new ideas and data on the role and function of adenosine in the mammalian brain.
This e-book will review special features of the cerebral circulation and how they contribute to the physiology of the brain. It describes structural and functional properties of the cerebral circulation that are unique to the brain, an organ with high metabolic demands and the need for tight water and ion homeostasis. Autoregulation is pronounced in the brain, with myogenic, metabolic and neurogenic mechanisms contributing to maintain relatively constant blood flow during both increases and decreases in pressure. In addition, unlike peripheral organs where the majority of vascular resistance resides in small arteries and arterioles, large extracranial and intracranial arteries contribute significantly to vascular resistance in the brain. The prominent role of large arteries in cerebrovascular resistance helps maintain blood flow and protect downstream vessels during changes in perfusion pressure. The cerebral endothelium is also unique in that its barrier properties are in some way more like epithelium than endothelium in the periphery. The cerebral endothelium, known as the blood-brain barrier, has specialized tight junctions that do not allow ions to pass freely and has very low hydraulic conductivity and transcellular transport. This special configuration modifies Starling's forces in the brain microcirculation such that ions retained in the vascular lumen oppose water movement due to hydrostatic pressure. Tight water regulation is necessary in the brain because it has limited capacity for expansion within the skull. Increased intracranial pressure due to vasogenic edema can cause severe neurologic complications and death.
This book provides valuable information for investigators interested in the signaling and regulatory functions of adenosine and the adenine nucleotides. Topics covered in this comprehensive volume include the historical development of research on adenosine and adenosine triphosphate; various aspects of the formation, metabolism, release, transport, and receptors for endogenous adenosine and the adenosine triphosphate; functions of purines at the cellular level; the role of adenosine in the regulation of flow in different vascular beds; and angiogenesis. The book also addresses the purinergic regulation of the cardiac, renal, gastro-intestinal, and central nervous system, as well as potential therapeutic avenues for purine use. The book will be valuable to physiologists, pharmacologists, and other basic and clinical scientists interested in updating their knowledge of the expanding biological roles of these substances.
Homeostasis of key metabolites and metabolic health affects all bodily systems. Not surprisingly, altered metabolic function is associated with a wide spectrum of dysfunctions in the central nervous system – including developmental disorders, acute nervous system injury, and neurodegenerative disorders. Accordingly, metabolism-based therapies offer significant promise as new category of treatment options designed to limit, delay or reverse the disease process by reconstructing homeostatic functions. Increasingly it is appreciated that restoring metabolic health could promote normal nervous system activity, and improve behavior and cognition. Adenosine: A Key Link Between Metabolism and Central Nervous System Activity focusses on diverse aspects of adenosine, an evolutionarily conserved homeostatic bioenergetic regulator in the central nervous system. Because of its interrelationship with ATP (adenosine triphosphate), adenosine is integral to cell metabolism. At the same time, adenosine influences neuronal activity directly via receptors, and is involved in biochemical processes related to gene expression. Thus, adenosine is uniquely placed as a reciprocal and rapid link between changes in metabolism and changes in neuronal activity, and, on a longer time scale, to changes in gene expression and long term changes in cell function. Leaders in the field feature basic research on adenosine at the cellular level in the central nervous system, and relate these findings to its recognized potential in diverse acute and chronic disorders. This comprehensive overview of adenosine also highlights emerging adenosine-based treatments and associated opportunities for central nervous system disorders.
This open access book presents the diagnosis, investigation and treatment of neurovascular diseases, and offers expert opinions and advice on avoiding complications in neurovascular surgery. It also covers complication management and post-operative follow-up care. The book is divided in to three parts; the first part discusses common approaches in neurovascular surgery, describing the steps, indications for and limitations of the approach, as well as the associated complications and how to avoid them. The second part addresses surgical treatment based on pathology, taking the different locations of lesions into consideration. The third part focuses on the technological developments that support neurovascular surgery, which may not be available everywhere, but have been included to help vascular surgeon understand the principles. This book is a guide for young neurosurgeons, neurosurgery residents and neurosurgery fellows, as well as for medical students and nurses who are interested in neurosurgery or are associated with this field in any way. It is also a useful teaching aid for senior neurosurgeons.
This text aims to provide the reader with a complete understanding of the anatomical, physiological and pharmacological bases of the cerebral circulation, its regulation in health and disease and the pathophysiological disturbances occurring in cerebrovascular disorders.
This book provides a broad view of the current research activities in adenosine and adenine nucleotide research, with contributions from many leading experts in the field. Like the three previous Symposia, the 4th International Symposium on Adenosine was designed to integrate the recent advances made in the rapidly expanding field of adenosine research by various biological and medical disciplines. Over 70 presentations were made, with over 60 posters displayed, and all the papers presented by the invited speakers and related discussions, as originally submitted by the authors are contained in this proceedings. This comprehensive text covers all important aspects of the subject and is a must for any scientist with an interest in adenosine research.
