Brain RepairOxford University Press, 1997 - 156 páginas Sixty years ago, the Nobel laureate Santiago Ramon y Cajal stated that "in the adult brain, nervous pathways are fixed and immutable; everything may die, nothing may be regenerated." Cajal's influence has been legendary--and conventional wisdom still holds that the human brain cannot repair itself. Today, however, remarkable discoveries from laboratories around the world offer a much more optimistic prognosis. In Brain Repair, three internationally renowned neuroscientists team up to offer an intriguing and up-to-the-minute introduction to the explosive advances being made in the research, technology, and treatment of brain damage. The key to neuroscience's most exciting discoveries to date is a theory that is rapidly gaining adherents in the scientific community--the theory of neuroplasticity. Unlike the prevalent notion that mental processes--like seeing, remembering, and speaking--take place only within highly specialized brain regions made up of irreplaceable and non-regenerating cells, neuroplasticity stresses that cells throughout the brain can not only regenerate, but can adapt their function to assume critical roles once performed by damaged tissue. In clear, accessible language, the authors show us that the brain manufactures a host of complex chemicals that actually foster growth in damaged brain cells. We visit the laboratories where researchers are untangling the mystery of Parkinson's disease and trying to understand what goes wrong in stroke victims, and why some, thought permanently impaired, show remarkable improvements. In addition, they discuss how even today misguided ideas can adversely affect how physicians treat patients--for example, they describe common drug treatments given to stroke and head trauma patients that can actually worsen the effects of brain damage. And, along the way, they detail the fascinating history of how brain structure and functioning has been understood and studied, from prehistoric times to the present. Over a half million people each year suffer brain-damaging injuries and diseases--but the outlook for their eventual recovery is far more hopeful than it was just a short while ago. A best-selling volume in France and Mexico, Brain Repair provides a vividly written, wide-ranging look at the leading edge of one of science's most exciting frontiers. |
Contenido
Introduction | 3 |
A Brief History of Ideas | 9 |
Looking into the Living Brain | 26 |
Neurons at Work | 34 |
The Injured Brain | 41 |
Regeneration Repair and Reorganization | 46 |
Factors in the Brain That Enhance Growth and Repair | 63 |
Is There a Difference Between Brain Damage That Occurs Early and Late in Life? | 74 |
Brain Transplants as Therapy for Brain Injuries? | 87 |
The Pharmacology of Brain Injury Repair | 104 |
Environment Brain Function and Brain Repair | 121 |
Where Do We Go from Here? | 134 |
Notes | 141 |
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Alzheimer's animals axons behavioral recovery brain cells brain damage brain function brain injury Brain Repair called caused central nervous system cerebral chemical clinical cognitive complex connections cortical damaged brain disorders dopamine drug effects embryonic enriched environment example fetal tissue frontal cortex functional recovery glia glial cells grow growth factor head injury hormones host brain human idea imaging injected L-dopa laboratory learning lesions levels membranes molecules monkeys NCAM nerve cells nerve fibers neural neurologists neurons neuroplasticity neuroscience neurotransmitters normal occur outcome Parkinson's disease patients problem produce proteins rats receptors recovery from brain regeneration region removed role scanning scientists scotoma sensory specific spinal cord sprouting stimulation stroke structure studies substances superior colliculus surgery survival symptoms synaptic techniques terminal buttons tested therapy tion tissue grafts toxic transplants trauma treatment trophic factors tumor University visual cortex vitamin vitamin E
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Página xiii - Will (1995) wrote: . . . most people, including physicians, neuroscientists (like ourselves), and health-care professionals, were taught to believe that brain injury is permanent, that the brain cannot be repaired. This explains why, until very recently, people with brain damage could receive virtually no treatment. The widely held belief that nothing can be done about brain damage leads to a vicious circle as far as patient care is concerned. If you presume that it is useless to waste time and precious...