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Show BOOK REVIEWS Section Editor: Steven A. Newman, MD The Neurology of Eye Movements, 4th Edition R. John Leigh, MD, FRCP and David S. Zee, MD. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK, 2006. ISBN 0- 19- 530090- 4, $ 145.00. Scope: This is a major revision of the classic text on everything you would want to know ( and more!) about ocular motility. The first edition of this remarkable book was published in 1983 at 281 pages, and this fourth edition at 763 pages plus an accompanying DVD reflects the veritable explosion of information on the neurobiology and clinical relevance of eye movements. The authors are the same duo of clinician- scientists whose names have literally represented the study of ocular motility for more than a quarter century. As in the first edition, the book is divided into two sections, the first dealing with fundamentals of neurophysiology of eye movements and the second dealing with its clinical applications. The first eight chapters present the results of basic ocular motor research in a form useful for clinicians. The reader will find an unparalleled up- to- date synthesis of neuroanatomy and neurophysiology of ocular motility. The last four chapters provide a pathophysiologic approach to clinical disorders with symptoms and signs of eye movement disorders, including the differential diagnoses of disorders involving the muscles, neuromuscular junction, ocular motor cranial nerves, vestibular system, and central nervous system areas involved in ocular motility. Each chapter begins with an outline of its content for easy reference and ends with a summary in bullet- point form, followed by extensive, comprehensive referencing. Throughout the chapters there are multiple summary boxes, figures, schematic diagrams, and tables. The accompanying DVD provides the full text of the book with links to 23 video displays that provide downloadable teaching slides. Additionally, the DVD contains 200 video clips, images, and the hand- written lecture notes " Linear Control Systems in the Oculomotor System" by David A. Robinson, the acknowledged mentor of the authors. Strengths: This is the most meticulously researched study of eye movements to be found in a single monograph, written by the grand masters. It is comprehensive in scope and in referencing. Many of the fine drawings and diagrams have been retained, and new ones have been added. New attempts to highlight key points are quite effective. The DVD is simply amazing! Weaknesses: The density of the material presented can be overwhelming. To read this book cover- to- cover takes fortitude, but it is well worth the effort. Compared with other texts, images are less plentiful, and some CT scans probably should have been retired. See if you can find the upside- down MRI! Recommended Audience: This book is a " must" for neuro- ophthalmologists, neuro- otologists, and basic scientists whose work involves ocular motor systems, and for every medical and biomedical engineering library. It is the reference for any medical student, resident, and physician who sees patients with ocular motility disorders and for the growing number of clinical and basic science researchers using eye movements as experimental tools in brain research. Critical Appraisal: This book is the " last word" on ocular motility, written by the foremost experts in the field. Nancy J. Newman, MD Emory University School of Medicine Atlanta, Georgia Neurological Therapeutics Principles and Practice, 2nd Edition John H. Noseworthy, MD, Editor. Informa Healthcare, Abingdon, Oxon, UK, 2006. ISBN 1- 84184- 583- 3, $ 499.95. Scope: This is a mammoth production that aims to cover all of neurologic therapeutics. It is the second edition of a two-volume work that appeared 3 years ago and won the First Prize in the British Medical Association Book Competition. It has grown to a three- volume set of nearly 4,500 pages. Dr. Noseworthy, the noted Mayo Clinic neurologist who specializes in multiple sclerosis, is again the editor- in- chief. There are 14 sections, each with its own editor- and each a very big name in the field. Each section has about 20 chapters, each written by a big name- actually 360 names. Most of the authors from the first edition have been retained. They have updated and often amplified their chapters. Neuro- ophthalmology is supervised by Dr. James Sharpe, a respected Toronto neuro- ophthalmologist specializing in eye movement disorders. His domain is nine chapters: optic neuropathies, papilledema and idiopathic intracranial hypertension, chiasmal and retrochiasmal disorders, pupil disturbances, ocular motor nerve palsies, nystagmus and saccadic disorders, gaze disorders, ocular myasthenia gravis, and cavernous sinus disorders. 74 J Neuro- Ophthalmol, Vol. 27, No. 1, 2007 Book Reviews J Neuro- Ophthalmol, Vol. 27, No. 1, 2007 Strengths: The emphasis on therapeutics is what distinguishes this work from the major textbooks of neurology. Neurologic therapeutics, which to skeptics may be an oxymoron, never looked so impressive. The editors have generally kept a tight rein on the writers to prevent them from indulging in excessive, impractical verbiage. Then-chapters are succinct, authoritative, and readable. They start with a brief theoretical background and finish with a big bang on how to manage the patient. The production values- text font, layout, and illustrations- are impeccable. The references are ample and reasonably up- to- date. The indexing is complete. The neuro- ophthalmic chapters provide a well- reasoned and concise take on their subjects. Weaknesses: This is a hernia- inducing tome. Forget portability. At a few pennies shy of $ 500, it is an investment. Such a high- priced giant may seem like a dinosaur to those who now rely on on- line sources, which are approaching high quality, are more easily updated, and are just a few clicks away on a screen. Recommended Audience: Physicians in training and physicians in practice- of any specialty that touches on neurology- will benefit from this book. Critical Appraisal: For those who have a sturdy bookshelf and are seeking a concise statement on a neurologic condition and in particular an authoritative, scientific approach to treatment, this is the go- to source. It may be expensive and hard to read on the fly but a book like this is more expertly put together than the typical on- line reference. Jonathan D. Trobe, MD Kellogg Eye Center and Department of Neurology University of Michigan Ann Arbor, Michigan Neurological Differential Diagnosis- A Prioritized Approach Roongroj Bhidayasiri, MD, MRCP ( UK), MRCPI, Michael F. Waters MD, PhD, and Christopher C. Giza, MD. Blackwell Publishing, Maiden, MA, 2005. ISBN 1- 4051- 2039- 8, $ 49.50. Scope: This text, authored by three clinicians, attempts to provide a problem- based differential diagnosis for the full spectrum of neurologic disease. The intended audience includes medical trainees, especially neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry residents, as well as internal medicine and family practice residents, medical students, and primary care physicians. Following the initial two sections that review neuroanatomy, neuropathology, and clinical syndromes, the text reviews the differential diagnosis of vascular insults, paroxysmal disorders, neuropsychiatric disorders and dementia, movement disorders, infectious, inflammatory, and demyelinating diseases, peripheral neurology, pediatric neurology, neurogenetics, neuroradiology, spinal cord disorders, and diagnostic tests. The text ends with a section on clinical pearls, including a quick reference on emergency neurologic medications, warfarin and phenytoin dosing and indications, and neuroprognostication. Strengths: The unique aspect of the book is that it attempts to prioritize neurologic differential diagnosis by listing the most common possibilities first. It also stresses less common diagnoses that can be potentially fatal or disabling. It is not a book of neurologic " zebras." Weaknesses: There is a paucity of illustrations. The only images are pathologic slides of common entities. Having no neuroimages in a section on neuroradiology makes comprehension of the concepts difficult, especially if the reader is unfamiliar with imaging. Also there are no neuroanatomy diagrams, which would have been especially helpful in the neuroanatomy section and in the section on peripheral neurology. Recommended Audience: This book would be most appreciated by neurology or neurosurgery residents and medical students on a neurology rotation. Internal medicine or primary care practitioners would also find this volume useful in their daily practices. It is probably too basic for experienced neurologists and neurosurgeons. Critical Appraisal: Some sections are uneven in depth. However, overall the text succeeds in presenting a user-friendly guide to the most common and most potentially dangerous neurologic disorders. Paul W Brazis, MD Mayo Clinic- Jacksonville Jacksonville, Florida Stroke Care: A Practical Manual Rowan Harwood, MD, Farhad Huwez, MBChB, PhD, and Dawn Good, RN. Oxford University Press, New York, 2005. ISBN 0- 19- 852973- 2, $ 39.50. Scope: Despite its small size, this book is a comprehensive guide for taking care of people with strokes. It is written by two internists and a geriatrician. It includes chapters on nursing and rehabilitation, stroke prevention, decisions on when to give and withhold care, and end- of- life care as well as the information you need to know when you are faced with a patient with an acute stroke or transient ischemic attack ( TIA) in the emergency room or hospital ward. It is intended for " people who look after stroke patients, in particular doctors and nurses working in hospitals." 75 J Neuro- Ophthalmol, Vol. 27, No. 1, 2007 Book Reviews Strengths: There are many. The book is organized by the time course of diagnosis and treatment ( what to do in the first few hours, days, and weeks). The information you need quickly is in easy- to- read tables. Stroke syndromes, tests, criteria for thrombolysis, drugs, and doses are all spelled out. Most of the stroke scales you need are in the appendix. The authors' treatment advice is supported by randomly controlled clinical trials, which they summarize in highlighted boxes. There is even a table of abbreviations at the beginning of the book! Weaknesses: The chief weakness, for American doctors, is that the book is written for an English audience. British drugs are called by their UK names ( paracetamol, not acetaminophen), which can make this manual less practical for users in the United States. The most striking differences are in medical decision making. In England ( but not in Scotland, as the book points out), " no one can give consent on behalf of adults who does not have the capacity to consent. They may be treated if it is in their ' best interests'." ( Few Englishmen have advanced medical directives, apparently.) The physician may consult with the patient's family before deciding what the patient's best interests are, but the ultimate decision is his or hers. In the United States, we tend to share medical decision making with the patient's family or the person legally empowered to make decisions. Recommended Audience: Doctors who care for stroke patients will find this book very useful. Thoughtful physicians reading the book will realize that they need to work with nurses, therapists, family members, and social service agencies to obtain the best possible outcome. I am not sure there is enough in the book about nursing and therapy to appeal to other caregivers. Critical Appraisal: If you take care of hospitalized patients with stroke, this book will help you. When you read the chapter on medical decision making, keep in mind the fact that different countries have different customs and laws. Ivy Dreizin, MD University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health Madison, Wisconsin Color Atlas of Neuroscience: Neuroanatomy and Neurophysiology Ben Greenstein, PhD and Adam Greenstein, BSc MB, ChB. Thieme, Stuttgart, Germany, 2000 ISBN 0- 86577- 710- 1, $ 37.95. Scope: This is a pocket atlas of neuroscience that provides an overview of neuroanatomy and neurophysiology. There are 194 color plates with accompanying text. The authors are basic scientists who have consolidated a wealth of information into a concise resource. The book is written for students of neuroscience to serve as an introduction to the complex subject matter, a supplementary resource for more detailed textbooks, and a study guide for examinations. The book is divided into 12 sections: Basic Neuroanatomy, Embryology, Cellular Structures, Somatosensory System, Motor System, Brainstem, Autonomic Nervous System, Special Senses, Hypothalamus, Limbic System, Higher Brain Centers, and a final section on Damage and Repair. At the end there is also a brief reference list and a glossary of terms and comprehensive index. In each section, the left side of the page provides details on structure, function, and physiology. The text is succinct, with key terminology in bold. On the right side of the page, there is an accompanying computer- generated color diagram with key structures and/ or pathways highlighted. The figures are clearly labeled and color-coded. Strengths: This is an ambitious work covering the entire range of neuroscience on macroscopic and microscopic levels. The authors have made complex material manageable and easy to absorb. Attention is given to the visual afferent system with detailed explanations of photoreceptor function and physiology as well as visual field defects with correlation to the retrochiasmal pathways. The visual efferent system is also described with respect to cranial nerve nuclei, extraocular muscle function, and the vestibulo- ocular system. The sections on the neuroendocrine and limbic systems are particularly well written. The autonomic nervous system section includes useful charts cataloging neurotransmitters, receptor subtypes, and target organs. The section on higher brain centers includes a brief review of molecular pharmacology of certain drugs and their use in particular disease states. Weaknesses: Matching the text with its accompanying figure often requires searching and can be time- consuming; labeling by number of both text and diagram would have been more straightforward and helpful. Although the computer graphics are of high quality, additional images depicting histopathology, cadaver dissections, and neuro-imaging are not included. The section on embryology is too brief. Several clinical correlations are made to disease states, but they are few. Recommended Audience: This color pocket atlas is ideal for those interested in neuroscience who are also looking for a quick reference guide for the central and peripheral nervous systems. It is by no means an exhaustive, highly detailed atlas, although it may be quite helpful for medical students on clinical rotations or residents studying for board examinations in neurology or neurosurgery. 76 © 2007 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Book Reviews J Neuro- Ophthalmol, Vol. 27, No. 1, 2007 Critical Appraisal: This little treasure contains an abundance of information presented in a concise, user-friendly format. It should be on the shelf ( or pocket) of every undergraduate, medical student, or resident studying neuroanatomy and neurophysiology. Rudrani Banik, MD Albert Einstein College of Medicine Bronx, New York The Neurology of AIDS, 2nd Edition Howard E. Gendelman, MD, Igor Grant, MD, Ian Paul Everall, MD, Stuart A. Lipton, MD, PhD, and Susan Swindells, MD, Editors. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK, 2005. ISBN 0- 19- 852610- 5 $ 225.00. Scope: This is designed to be an encyclopedic or comprehensive text for those involved in the clinical care or research in AIDS. Strengths: This 800- page treatise covers basic biology and immunology, mechanisms of neurotoxicity, HIV- 1 dementia encephalopathy, and clinical and pathologic features, but not particularly neuro- ophthalmologic aspects. However, it is priceless in its critical review of diagnostic options, including imaging and laboratory studies and medical therapy. Anti-retroviral strategies are summarized for children and adults. Weaknesses: Animal model systems probably have minimal interest to the clinician and are well known to researchers. Neuropsychologic, social, legal, ethical, and behavioral aspects may be of less interest to physicians but will be very helpful to other staff and family members of AIDS patients. Recommended Audience: This book would be of interest to those who deal with AIDS patients on any level. AIDS patients and their family members or significant others will welcome this comprehensive resource. Critical Appraisal: This is a marvelous, ready reference book. The scientific reviews of disease presentations, evaluations, and treatments will appeal to patients and to caregivers of all sorts. The book is unusual in its attention to the humane aspects of dealing with the disease. Pamela S. Chavis, MD Medical University of South Carolina Charleston, South Carolina A Compendium of Inherited Disorders and the Eye Elias I. Traboulsi, MD Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK, 2006. ISBN 0- 19- 517096- 0, $ 99.00. Scope: This is the 18th monograph in a series developed by the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Edited by a renowned pediatric ophthalmologist and geneticist, it is a multiauthored textbook, with four major contributors: M. L. Garcia, I. H. Maumenee, A. L. Murphree, and K. Zhang. The text is an alphabetic compendium of inherited eye diseases, with each disease usually given one or two pages. Information comes largely from the Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man ( OMEVI), including number, inheritance, gene/ gene map, epidemiology, clinical findings, ocular findings, therapeutic aspects, references, and resources. Many subjects are augmented by clinical and ocular photographs. The compendium is preceded by a 32 page introduction to the fundamentals of genetics, including inheritance, identification of disease genes, and molecular genetics. Strengths: Although much of this information is available on- line, this written compendium has distinct advantages over electronic resources. It is written by ophthalmologists for ophthalmologists. The introduction is a concise and informative guide. It will enable any physician to learn the language of geneticists and allow comprehension of the latest genetic advances. The emphasis in each brief entry is on the ophthalmic aspects of the disease and therapeutic considerations. It is advantageous to be able to pick a book off the shelf, flip through the pages in alphabetical order, and quickly get a synopsis of what is known about a particular disease. Also, electronic databases do not always have quality control and consistency of format. Although written by scores of authors, the contributors and editor have conferred a degree of consistency and quality control on the work that electronic resources sometimes lack. Each topic contains lists of sources where patients and physicians can obtain additional information about a particular disease. Support groups for patients, parents, and families are listed as well as centers where physicians may obtain genetic testing. Finally, the clinical and ocular photographs serve to illustrate the clinical and ophthalmic findings associated with many diseases. Weaknesses: Some physicians may have become accustomed to using electronic sources that are free and can be updated more quickly. The field of genetics is changing so rapidly that textbooks such as this may quickly become outdated as genes are identified and their physiologic functions elucidated. In addition, electronic resources can offer links to references and resources with a mouse click. Recommended Audience: Anyone who deals with genetically determined disorders affecting the eye and visual system will benefit from this book. Critical Appraisal: For the ophthalmic geneticist and bench researcher, electronic databases may be more 77 J Neuro- Ophthalmol, Vol. 27, No. 1, 2007 Book Reviews helpful. However, even this audience can benefit from the clinical descriptions and photographs that bring to life a disease beyond DNA mutations. For the clinician who encounters these diseases, a text such as this is probably a better resource. And for the physician who just wants to become up- to- date on the inner language of genetics, the introduction section is immensely helpful. Bradley J. Katz, MD, PhD John A. Moran Eye Center University of Utah Salt Lake City, Utah Handbook of Neurosurgery, 6th Edition Mark S. Greenberg, MD. Thieme, New York, 2006. ISBN 1- 58890- 457- 1, $ 79.95. Scope: This 1,000- page, single- authored paperback, now in its sixth edition, is among the most popular sources of practical information for the neurosurgical house officer. Why would a neuro- ophthalmologist want to read it? Because, like the storied medicine handbook known as the " Washington Manual," this hefty little book contains information you want but cannot find in standard textbooks or journal articles. It provides the accepted guidelines for how neurosurgeons manage head trauma, trigeminal neuralgia, increased intracranial pressure, brain tumors, and brain aneurysms. It deals with issues normally handled by neurologists, such as the dizzy patient and Parkinson disease. It even opines on neuro- ophthalmic problems such as optic neuritis and ocular motor cranial nerve palsies- sensibly and very concisely. Strengths: There cannot be a single paperback out there with more practical information on the skull, the brain, the spinal cord, and the nerves. Having passed through six editions, it has been pared to the essentials. The author has a brilliant sense of how to wrap a topic and make you remember the key issues. The tables and schematic drawings ( mostly of anatomy) are simple and easy to grasp. Even the references are of prime value. Weaknesses: You cannot expect a single author to be good at everything. Some topics are oversimplified. But this is a handbook, not a reference text. Recommended Audience: This book would be useful for any physician who takes care of patients with neurosurgical issues. Critical Appraisal: If you care about the underpinnings of neurosurgical practice and are curious about what the house officers are carrying in their coats, read this book. After all, neurosurgery is a craft, and a craft is best explained in a handbook, not a textbook. After six editions, this one has become a formidable resource. Jonathan D. Trobe, MD Kellogg Eye Center and Department of Neurology University of Michigan Ann Arbor, Michigan 78 © 2007 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins |
