ageing and the nervous system, salvatore giaquinto, john wiley & sons, chichester, 1988, pages:...

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BOOK REVIEWS 233 Ageing and the Nervous System, SALVATORE GIAQUINTO, John Wiley & Sons, Chichester, 1988, Pages: 224, ISBN: 0 47 1 9 1835 0. Price: f50.00. The ageing process is attracting considerable scientific interest. This is partly because of the increasing size of the elderly population and the social and medical problems this causes. The relationship between the mechanisms of ageing and disease entities in old age is receiving more and more attention. This volume covers a wide range of topics including pertinent demographic issues relevant to an understand- ing of the elderly population and the cellular basis of ageing. The major neurotransmitter deficits associated with ageing are reviewed; including acetylcholine, dopamine, norepinephrine and gamma-aminbutryic acid (GABA). Their possible role in the aetiology of Alzheimer’s disease is discussed but no definite conclusions are made. Other aetiological factors are not examined. One unusual feature of this book is that it is written entirely by Salvatore Giaquinto. In some regards this is a major strength. An initial examination of biological aspects, including the genetics of cellular ageing, histological features and neurochemical deficits, provides an appropriate introduction to a review of the techniques for assessing brain physiology and anatomy - CT scan, PET, CBF, NMR and the EEG. The chapters on cognitive and neuropsychological aspects of brain function provide an overall picture of the ageing brain in normal and disease states, especially Alzheimer’s disease. This monograph attempts to provide a comprehensive overview of the relevant biological, clinical and psychological features of the nervous system in old age. The relevance of these to dementia and Parkinson’s disease is emphasised. Further reading in most of the areas covered will be necessary for the interested specialist if a detailed account is needed. This short volume provides an authoritative overview of the nervous system in old age. It should be of value to most medical and scientific workers with an interest in understanding the relationship between the nervous system and decline of function with advanced age. STEPHEN CURRAN, Human Psychopharmacology Unit, University of Leeds. Neuroendocrinology, edited by STAFFORD L. LIGHTMAN AND BARRY J. EVERITT, 1986, Blackwell Scientific Publica- tions. Oxford, pp 622, f60. ISBN 0-632-01517-9. This is a first class textbook of neurendocrinology, which is an area in which rapid recent advances on a broad front have frequently overtaken the capacity for understanding of those of us who are on the periphery of the subject. The editors of the book probably understand as much or more about the subject than anyone else and the contributors are all leaders in their respective fields. Psychiatrists and psychopharmacologists may come to the book for several different purposes and from several different directions. The chapter on endocrine rhythms provides a good background to the subject for those with an interest in affective disorders, particularly of the recurrent or periodic type, which have been postulated to be due to abnormal circadian or circannual rhythms. Anorexologists and bulimiologists (to coin two neo- logisms) will be interested in the chapters on hunger and reproduction. When asked about neuroendocrinology psychiatrists tend to think about the dexamethasone suppression test, and if really alert may mention the TRH test and the clonidine test. The chapter on neuroendocrine aspects of psychiatry will therefore be an education to most. In this chapter, Stuart Checkley deals with the variety of ways in which neuroendocrine systems can be used as markers for psychiatric disorders, as accessible models for the central effects of psychotropic drugs, and to develop and test hypotheses of central neurotransmitter abnormalities in psychiatric disorder. Other chapters which will be of interest in this respect are those on prolactin, thyroid stimulating hormone and growth hormone. Two very good introductory chapters on the integrated functions of the nervous system by the editors, and the anatomy of the hypothalamus by Everitt and Hokfelt, are essential reading for the novice who wants to get as much as possible from the chapter dealing with their own area of interest. This is an expensive book, but if I hadn’t been lucky enough to acquire a review copy I think I would have had to buy it. On balance it is good value. CHRIS THOMPSON, Professor of Psychiatry, University of Southampton. Psychological Assessment of the Elderly. Edited by J. P. Measuring thought is a confusing business, and compilers WA~~S and I. HINDMARCH. Churchill-Livingstone, Edin- of mental test scores often have difficulty convincing burgh, vi + 201 pages. ISBN 0-443-03320-X. others of the validity or relevance of their scores given

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Page 1: Ageing and the nervous system, SALVATORE GIAQUINTO, John Wiley & Sons, Chichester, 1988, pages: 224, ISBN: 0 471 91835 0, price:£50.00

BOOK REVIEWS 233

Ageing and the Nervous System, SALVATORE GIAQUINTO, John Wiley & Sons, Chichester, 1988, Pages: 224, ISBN: 0 47 1 9 1835 0. Price: f50.00.

The ageing process is attracting considerable scientific interest. This is partly because of the increasing size of the elderly population and the social and medical problems this causes. The relationship between the mechanisms of ageing and disease entities in old age is receiving more and more attention.

This volume covers a wide range of topics including pertinent demographic issues relevant to an understand- ing of the elderly population and the cellular basis of ageing.

The major neurotransmitter deficits associated with ageing are reviewed; including acetylcholine, dopamine, norepinephrine and gamma-aminbutryic acid (GABA). Their possible role in the aetiology of Alzheimer’s disease is discussed but no definite conclusions are made. Other aetiological factors are not examined.

One unusual feature of this book is that it is written entirely by Salvatore Giaquinto. In some regards this is a major strength. An initial examination of biological aspects, including the genetics of cellular ageing,

histological features and neurochemical deficits, provides an appropriate introduction to a review of the techniques for assessing brain physiology and anatomy - C T scan, PET, CBF, NMR and the EEG.

The chapters on cognitive and neuropsychological aspects of brain function provide an overall picture of the ageing brain in normal and disease states, especially Alzheimer’s disease.

This monograph attempts to provide a comprehensive overview of the relevant biological, clinical and psychological features of the nervous system in old age. The relevance of these to dementia and Parkinson’s disease is emphasised.

Further reading in most of the areas covered will be necessary for the interested specialist if a detailed account is needed. This short volume provides an authoritative overview of the nervous system in old age. It should be of value to most medical and scientific workers with an interest in understanding the relationship between the nervous system and decline of function with advanced age.

STEPHEN CURRAN, Human Psychopharmacology Unit,

University of Leeds.

Neuroendocrinology, edited by STAFFORD L. LIGHTMAN AND BARRY J. EVERITT, 1986, Blackwell Scientific Publica- tions. Oxford, pp 622, f60. ISBN 0-632-01517-9.

This is a first class textbook of neurendocrinology, which is an area in which rapid recent advances on a broad front have frequently overtaken the capacity for understanding of those of us who are on the periphery of the subject. The editors of the book probably understand as much or more about the subject than anyone else and the contributors are all leaders in their respective fields.

Psychiatrists and psychopharmacologists may come to the book for several different purposes and from several different directions. The chapter on endocrine rhythms provides a good background to the subject for those with an interest in affective disorders, particularly of the recurrent or periodic type, which have been postulated to be due to abnormal circadian or circannual rhythms. Anorexologists and bulimiologists (to coin two neo- logisms) will be interested in the chapters on hunger and reproduction.

When asked about neuroendocrinology psychiatrists tend to think about the dexamethasone suppression test, and if really alert may mention the TRH test and the

clonidine test. The chapter on neuroendocrine aspects of psychiatry will therefore be an education to most. In this chapter, Stuart Checkley deals with the variety of ways in which neuroendocrine systems can be used as markers for psychiatric disorders, as accessible models for the central effects of psychotropic drugs, and to develop and test hypotheses of central neurotransmitter abnormalities in psychiatric disorder. Other chapters which will be of interest in this respect are those on prolactin, thyroid stimulating hormone and growth hormone.

Two very good introductory chapters on the integrated functions of the nervous system by the editors, and the anatomy of the hypothalamus by Everitt and Hokfelt, are essential reading for the novice who wants to get as much as possible from the chapter dealing with their own area of interest.

This is an expensive book, but if I hadn’t been lucky enough to acquire a review copy I think I would have had to buy it. On balance it is good value.

CHRIS THOMPSON, Professor of Psychiatry,

University of Southampton.

Psychological Assessment of the Elderly. Edited by J. P. Measuring thought is a confusing business, and compilers W A ~ ~ S and I. HINDMARCH. Churchill-Livingstone, Edin- of mental test scores often have difficulty convincing burgh, vi + 201 pages. ISBN 0-443-03320-X. others of the validity or relevance of their scores given