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Show BOOK REVIEWS Section Editor: Steven A. Newman, MD Neurology and General Medicine, 4th Edition Michael J. Aminoff, MD, DSc, FRCP. Churchill Livingstone ( Elsevier), Philadelphia, PA, 2008. ISBN 978- 0- 443- 06707- 5, $ 199.00. Scope: The book's goal is to discuss the neurologic aspects of medical disorders and the non- neurologic aspects of neurol-ogic disorders. It is a multiauthored tome of 63 short chapters, mostly authored by recognized leaders in their fields. Strengths: The shortness of the chapters allows one to dip into a topic of interest and quickly find the answers. The list of headings at the beginning of each chapter and the extensive, well cross- referenced index allow the reader to more easily take advantage of the book's structure. The accompanying online version may be helpful to the on- the-go practitioner. Weaknesses: Although the majority of chapters appear well written, the book covers such a broad swath of medicine and neurology that an editor cannot assure complete accuracy. On some of the topics about which I am knowledgeable, there are very apparent inaccuracies. I was left to wonder if these inaccuracies are present elsewhere. Recommended Audience: General neurologists and general medicine physicians would be likely to benefit most from this book. It would also be particularly helpful to those who attend on a general neurology consult service. Even those who specialize but remain interested in other subspecialty areas of neurology would also find this book interesting and useful. Critical Appraisal: Despite its flaws, this textbook has a place on the bookshelf of practitioners who are frequently exposed to aspects of general neurology and medicine. Beau B. Bruce, MD Departments of Ophthalmology and Neurology Emory University Atlanta, Georgia Neurology and Clinical Neuroscience Anthony H. V. Schapira, MD, DSc, FRCP, FMedSci. Mosby Elsevier, Philadelphia, PA, 2007. ISBN 978- 0- 323- 03354- 1, $ 209.00. Scope: This single volume multiauthored textbook of 1,626 pages presents classic textbook coverage of clinical neurology. The intended audience is clinical neurologists- from neurologists in training to experienced practitioners. The text is organized as are other classic neurology textbooks: by neurologic system or disease. All major topics are covered. Strengths: The most unique aspect of this book along with its greatest strength is its focus on the practical appli-cation of neuroscience to clinical practice. This text with its bench- to- bedside emphasis delves deeper than most other texts into the pathophysiologic basis of disease and treatment and into the science behind current technologic diagnostic evaluations. As the scientific basis of neurology has expanded exponentially, the multiauthored approach used in this text has become essential. This is well accomplished here with coeditors and contributors comprising distinguished inter-national leaders in their fields. Generous use of full- colored illustrations and figures makes the text visually appealing and facilitates conceptual understanding. Most chapters include excellent tables that allow access to key concepts at a glance. For example, tables on topics such as key clinical findings in the various inherited ataxias, mitochondrial disorders, and paraneo-plastic antibody- mediated neurologic syndromes help to guide evaluation in diseases in which great phenotypic overlap exists. All figures are available in digital format on the accompanying CD- ROM and can be exported for use in PowerPoint. The CD- ROM includes reference information and figures but no text. Weaknesses: Although comprehensive in its scope, there is limited coverage of some topics. As with any multiauthored text, the chapters vary in length and quality. The practitioner in need of comprehensive knowledge of the literature on any given disease will need to search beyond the concise topic overviews. This deficit is partially mitigated by the accompanying CD- ROM with interactive Internet access to the reference articles for each topic and inclusion of a suggested reading list. Because the text was not designed to provide com-prehensive neuro- ophthalmologic coverage, the presenta-tion of neuro- ophthalmologic materials is fragmented. For example, the neuro- ophthalmology section includes signif-icant coverage of retinal disease but very little information on eye movements. Chapters designed to improve clinical skills are brief. Recommended Audience: Clinical neurologists will be most apt to find this book useful. Critical Appraisal: This easy- to- read, user friendly, visu-ally attractive textbook provides excellent and up- to- date J Neuro- Ophthalmol, Vol. 29, No. 3, 2009 253 reviews of all major topics in clinical neurology. The emphasis on pathophysiologic principles makes it unique among neurology texts. Janet C. Rucker, MD Department of Ophthalmology Mount Sinai Medical Center New York, New York Multiple Sclerosis Therapeutics, 3rd Edition Jeffrey A. Cohen, MD and Richard A. Rudick, MD. Informa Healthcare, London, UK, 2007. ISBN 978- 1- 84184- 525- 8, $ 359.95. Scope: This is a comprehensive and up- to- date treatise on multiple sclerosis ( MS) with contributions from interna-tionally renowned MS experts. The book is divided into 4 sections. The first section addresses the immunologic and imaging aspects of MS with an emphasis on clinical correlation. The second section reviews aspects of clinical trial methodology, including pitfalls and promises of biomarkers, trial design and limitations, and ethical considerations. There are excellent reviews of recent advances in pharmacogenetics. The third section reviews key aspects of pivotal clinical trials and also updates of promising therapies. The fourth section includes chapters on disease- modifying therapies, symptomatic support, and use of MRI in clinical management. Strengths: This book is very comprehensive in scope and includes excellent illustrations and instructive tables. It gives the reader a broad and deep exposure to the field of neuro- immunology, incorporating useful discussions on advances in molecular biology and imaging technol-ogy. It also provides a practical review of management of patients with complex neurologic and psychosocial needs. Weaknesses: With the inclusion of a large number of authors, there is some heterogeneity in the quality of the chapters. A second problem, which is unavoidable given the rapid expansion of data in this field, is that some information is already outdated. Recommended Audience: Practicing neurologists and residents in training, rehabilitation specialists, radiologists, and neuro- immunologists will find this book useful. Critical Appraisal: The contributing authors represent a distinguished group of MS experts with broad interests. This book serves as an extremely useful resource for a wide audience. Virginia I. Simnad, MD, MSc Department of Neurology University of Virginia Charlottesville, Virginia Progress in Neurotherapeutics and Neuropsychopharmacology Jeffrey L. Cummings, MD. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, 2006. ISBN 978- 0- 52186- 253- 0, $ 150.00 Scope: Part of an ongoing series in neuropharmacology, this book aims to update the reader in key areas of clinical therapeutics. It belongs to a wider series of chapters that were initially provided on- line and later published in book form. This volume covers therapeutic agents for dementia associated with Parkinson disease, fatigue in multiple sclerosis, glioblastoma multiforme, migraine, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, pseudobulbar affect, autism, and schizophrenia. Strengths: The information provided in each chapter is excellent. The organization is optimal, first detailing the salient points of clinical studies and then providing a rationale for the opinion reached. The editor has worked diligently to ensure that there is consistency in the type and organization of material prepared by the many different authors. In all cases, it is concise and clear. It is commendable that this book covers topic areas in which the investigational medication does not prove to be efficacious against the index disease state. All too often, important negative studies are not reported or are written up in an ambiguous manner. Weaknesses: More information on how the subject matter for each volume was chosen and a clearer conceptual link between the topics of each chapter would have been helpful. Recommended Audience: To garner maximum benefit, the reader should have a background in neuropharmacol-ogy or neurotherapeutics. Thus, this book will appeal most to experts in these fields. Critical Appraisal: This is a scholarly text that provides important updates on potential new treatments in the areas of neurology and neuropsychiatry. The information is presented well, concisely, and with a clear opinion on 254 q 2009 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins J Neuro- Ophthalmol, Vol. 29, No. 3, 2009 Book Reviews therapeutic outcomes. Experts in the field will find it very useful. Clinicians will likely struggle. Bankole A. Johnson, DSc, MD, PhD, MPhil, FRCPsych Chairman, Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences Alumni Professor of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences Professor of Medicine Professor of Neuroscience University of Virginia Charlottesville, Virginia Principles and Practice of Movement Disorders Stanley Fahn, MD and Joseph Jankovic, MD. Churchill Livingstone ( Elsevier), Philadelphia, 2007. ISBN 978- 0- 443- 07941- 2, $ 199.00. Scope: This is a scholarly, heavily referenced, detailed textbook cataloging the current knowledge in the clinical specialty of movement disorders. Drs. Fahn and Jankovic have been leading figures in the field for a generation, as have their contributing authors Mark Hallett, MD and Peter Jenner, BPharm ( Hons), PhD, DSc, FRPharms. The book is divided into 3 sections. The first section is an overview that introduces the spectrum of clinical phenomenology and reviews the physiology of movement control and the functional anatomy of the basal ganglia. The phenomenology chapter is enriched by 89 video clips on a digital video disc that accompanies the book. The second section consists of 9 chapters that address the hypokinetic movement disorders. This section ad-dresses a range of issues regarding parkinsonism and Parkinson disease, including clinical features, etiology and pathogenesis, medical and surgical therapies, nonmotor problems, and emerging therapies. There are also brief reviews of gait disorders and stiffness syndromes. The final section covers hyperkinetic movement disorders and consists of 14 chapters encompassing dystonia, Huntington disease, chorea, tics, stereotypes, tremors, myoclonus, paroxysmal dyskinesias, and restless legs syndrome. Specific chapters are devoted to Wilson disease and psychogenic disorders. Strengths: This exhaustive review of a large field benefits greatly from its uniformity of style and high quality. This benefit derives from the small number of authors and careful editing. A major innovation that enhances the value of this book is the accompanying DVD that brings to life the dry descriptions of movements and behaviors that have limited the utility of previous textbooks in this field. In the clinical field of movement disorders, seeing is everything! The chapters on dystonia are particularly vivid, reflecting a long- standing interest of the authors. Weaknesses: There are a large number of words packed into 652 pages, and the pages with few or no illustrations are visually dense for the reader. The chapters on phys-iology of movement, functional anatomy, etiology, patho-genesis, and experimental models of Parkinson disease, although, appear gratuitous in the rich surround of much elegant clinical material. Also, there is very little neuro-ophthalmology. Recommended Audience: This book with the accompa-nying DVD is a unique resource for any clinician caring for patients with movement disorders. It offers medical students and trainees a chance to see the full spectrum of abnormal involuntary movements. Critical Appraisal: Two thumbs up for Drs. Fahn and Jankovic in wedding an exhaustively annotated text with beautifully illustrative videoclips that serve to share the experience of their careers with the rest of us in a most effective manner. G. Frederick Wooten, MD Department of Neurology University of Virginia School of Medicine Charlottesville, Virginia Glial Neurobiology: A Textbook Alexei Verkhratsky, MD, PhD and Arthur M. Butt, PhD. John Wiley and Sons, Ltd., West Sussex, UK, 2007. ISBN 978- 0- 470- 51740- 6, $ 60.00. Scope: This is the first edition of a textbook providing an accessible introduction to the physiology and pathophys-iology of mammalian glial cells. It is written by 2 leading researchers in the field. Through a well- organized pro-gression, the book provides an overview of glial cell function and discusses glial- neuronal interactions with an emphasis on glial influences on neurophysiology. The book is divided into 3 parts: Physiology of Glia, Glial Cells and Nervous System Function, and Glia and Nervous Systems Pathology. The first section provides an excellent introduction to the origins of glial research, acknowledging contributions 255 Book Reviews J Neuro- Ophthalmol, Vol. 29, No. 3, 2009 by not only well- known names such as Virchow, Ramon y Cajal, and Golgi, but also less acknowledged scientists such as Lenhossek, who proposed the term astrocyte, and Schleich, who first proposed the idea that neuronal- glial interactions are a key substrate for brain function. The remainder of the section outlines concepts of intercellular and intracellular signaling in the nervous system, glial morphology and development, general physiology of glia, and neuronal- glial interactions. The second section covers specific roles of glial cells in nervous system function, with the largest section devoted to the role of astrocytes in development, synaptogenesis, vascular function, ionic homeostasis, glutamate regulation, metabolic support, and participation in neuronal- glial networks. A smaller section focuses on the structure and function of oligodendrocytes and Schwann cells. The last section consists of 40 pages summarizing glial roles in nervous system pathology. Descriptions of general reactions of glial cells, including astrogliosis, microgliosis, and Wallerian degeneration, are followed by specific examples of diseases in which glia have a primary role or a secondary role as responders to injury. Strengths: The text is concise yet relatively comprehen-sive. The first 2 main sections are well written and take the newcomer from the basic definitions of cell types to current questions about neuroglial interactions. The triumph of the book is the chapter on treatment on intercellular and intracellular signaling. Weaknesses: The third section attempts to introduce the reader to roles of glia in nervous system pathology. Although this adds clinical relevance to the subject matter, the superficiality and spottiness of the treatment may leave the reader more confused than educated. There are some minor points of confusion. For example, retinal pigment epithelial cells are considered a subtype of astrocyte. Although they are derived from the neuroepithelium and serve as key support cells for photoreceptor neurons, they are not generally considered astrocyte- like. Recommended Audience: This book is best suited for advanced undergraduate and graduate students in the neurosciences, as well as for residents and fellows in the clinical neurosciences who want a quick introduction to glial cells. Although it would be a good starting point for researchers new to the field, glial specialists will still want a copy of the classic multiauthor text, The Neuroglia ( Kettenmann and Ransom, Oxford University Press, 2005). Critical Appraisal: The authors have made a valiant effort to summarize the state of knowledge in glial neurobiology in the form of an attractive and highly approachable textbook. James W. Mandell, MD, PhD Jennifer Eudy, BA Department of Pathology University of Virginia Charlottesville, Virginia Myopathies ( Handbook of Clinical Neurology, Volume 86) Frank L. Mastaglia, MD and David Hilton- Jones, MD, Editors. Elsevier, Edinburgh, UK, 2007. ISBN 978- 0- 444- 51899, $ 260. Scope: This is a major up- to- date scholarly work on myopathies and in particular their molecular pathophysi-ology. Muscular dystrophies are covered in a separate volume in the series. There are 172 illustrations, including 13 pages of histopathology in color; 32 authors contributed, 3 from the United States. The intended audience is specialist neurologists, geneticists, and researchers. Strengths: The chapter on mitochondrial encephalomyo-pathies is comprehensive ( almost to the point of being overwhelming), up- to- date, and supported by a wealth of references. Leigh syndrome, mitochondrial encephalopathy lactic acidosis with stroke- like episodes ( MELAS), Kearns- Sayre syndrome, and progressive external ophthalmoplegia make an appearance, although the emphasis is on the mitochondrial abnormalities rather than the clinical find-ings and management. The chapters on hereditary inclusion body myopathy and inclusion body myositis are especially clear and authoritative. The chapter on autoimmune inflammatory myopathies goes beyond pathophysiology into practical considerations of diagnosis and treatment. The chapter on muscle diseases and aging is scientific, thought- provoking, and innovative. The references are copious. Weaknesses: This is not a book primarily about clinical diagnosis and management. Neuro- ophthalmologists would have welcomed a separate chapter on ocular myopathies. Cardiomyopathies and visceral myopathies are neglected. The Tolosa- Hunt syndrome, masseter hyperplasia, and the Parry- Romberg syndrome are missing. Perhaps the title should have been ‘‘ Skeletal Myopathies.'' Recommended Audience: Neurologists specializing in muscle disease, geneticists, and researchers will find this book useful and fascinating. It is not a book for neuro-ophthalmologists. 256 q 2009 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins J Neuro- Ophthalmol, Vol. 29, No. 3, 2009 Book Reviews Critical Appraisal: The book is well- written and well-organized. It is an admirable, solid, comprehensive work in a field that is moving so rapidly that texts will need to be updated frequently. Jane Sargent, MD Department of Neurology University of Massachusetts Medical School Princeton, Massachusetts The Neurobiology of Learning and Memory Jerry W. Rudy, PhD. Sinauer Associates, Inc., Sunderland, MA, 2008. ISBN 978- 0- 87893- 669- 4, $ 74.95. Scope: This is a single- authored text aimed primarily to students with basic knowledge of psychology and neuroscience. It is organized into 3 main sections. Part 1 is based on the neuronal synapse as the basic unit of memory function. This section encompasses 5 chapters focusing on the cellular mechanisms underlying long- term potentiation ( LTP) as the synaptic substrate of memory formation. Part 2 includes 5 chapters that explore the molecular basis of how behavioral experiences are stored in the synaptic matrix. Part 3 consists of 5 chapters that place memory function in its anatomical systems and discuss different types of memory- episodic, procedural, and emotional. Abundant clear color illustrations support the textual material. They are complemented by portraits of key contributors to the science, lending a human face to the achievements. A useful glossary is provided. Strengths: This volume provides a comprehensive and well- organized approach to the building blocks of memory. The neurobiologic basis of memory emerges as the logical consequence of a series of electrophysiologic and molec-ular events in an anatomic substrate. The illustrations provide a rich complement to the text and support visually oriented learners. Weaknesses: In the preface, the author acknowledges that this volume is not comprehensive. It sacrifices detail and methodologic variability to keep the stories consistent. Instructors may find that the author's priorities in story-telling do not match their own, but assigning supplemental reading could redress this shortcoming. Recommended Audience: This book is well suited as a textbook for advanced undergraduate courses or as a foundational review for new investigators entering the field of memory research. Critical Appraisal: The author is seasoned educator on the topic. He has clearly used his experience to provide a useful instructional resource on the neuroscience of memory for students from a variety of backgrounds. The text is well-written and well- illustrated. The author's lucid articulation of his organizing principles should help readers at all levels develop a richer understanding of the complexity of the phenomena of memory and its biologic underpinnings. David S. Geldmacher, MD Department of Neurology University of Virginia Health System Charlottesville, Virginia Eye, Retina, and Visual System of the Mouse Leo M. Chalupa, PhD and Robert W. Williams PhD, Editors. The MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, 2008. ISBN 978- 0- 262- 03381- 7, $ 135.00. Scope: This is a comprehensive overview of the use of the inbred laboratory mouse in the field of vision research. The book contains 732 pages, which are divided into 7 sections and 59 chapters. The sections cover diverse topics such as an introduction of the mouse as a research model ( Section I), development of the mouse eye ( Section IV), mouse models of human disease ( Section VI), and advanced genomic technologies applied to the mouse visual system ( Section VII). Some 58 chapters cover current results in vision research gained through the use of the mouse as an experimental model. The very first chapter is an overview of the evolutionary history of the genus Mus. Strengths: This book is an editorial tour de force. The editors have recruited contributions from awho's who list of investigators working in vision science. Brief and un-derstandable to the generalist, each chapter is sufficiently referenced so that interested readers can efficiently delve deeper into any given topic. By its breadth, this book also demonstrates the extent to which inbred strains of mice have become a premier animal model in vision research. Weaknesses: This book contains 69 color plates, which are collated into a separate section embedded within Chapter 30. Each color plate corresponds to a black and white or gray scale image printed elsewhere in a separate chapter. 257 Book Reviews J Neuro- Ophthalmol, Vol. 29, No. 3, 2009 Whereas the reproduction of each color illustration is excellent, the remote location of each color plate from its relevant chapter makes reading somewhat cumbersome. Recommended Audience: This book is targeted to scien-tists who use or are contemplating using the mouse in studies of ocular or central nervous system processing of visual information. As a consequence of the ascent of the mouse as an animal model, this book also succeeds in providing a comprehensive overview of the field of vision research. Critical Appraisal: A comprehensive overview of the mouse as a model for studies in vision research, this book show how the ability to modify gene sequences in the mouse has had an impact on our understanding of development, function, and molecular mechanisms of human disease. All vision scientists, regardless of the animal models they use, should read it. Peter F. Hitchcock, PhD Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science Kellogg Eye Center University of Michigan Ann Arbor, Michigan 258 q 2009 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins J Neuro- Ophthalmol, Vol. 29, No. 3, 2009 Book Reviews |