Journal of NeurochemistryRaven Press, Ltd ., New York

1995 International Society for Neurochemistry

Basic Neurochemistry : Molecular, Cellular, and MedicalAspects, 5th ed., edited by G. J. Siegel, B. W. Agranoff, R.W. Albers, and P. B. Molinoff. Raven Press, New York,1994 ; book : ISBN 0-7817-0104-X, 1,104 pp ., $67.00; slides :ISBN 0-7817-0134-1, 419 slides, 310 in color, $495.00.

This is an excellent book! From time to time every disci-pline sees the appearance of a new textbook that provides abenchmark against which the others are measured . Those ofus who teach biochemistry will recall Lehninger's Biochem-istry as just such a text. Basic Neurochemistry, now in itsfifth edition, fills a similar role in our discipline . Over theyears subsequent editions of the book have undergone majorrevisions and, of course, expansions . The fifth edition coversa vast area ranging from basic molecular descriptions of thekey structural and function constituents of the brain throughto complex neurological and behavioural topics such as psy-chotic disorders and learning and memory .

Multiauthor texts often suffer from a lack of consistencyof style and presentation . The editors are to be congratulatedon having produced a seamless whole-there is a pleasinguniformity of presentation throughout the book . The consis-tent style is reflected particularly in the illustrations . Theseare clear and informative and provide an excellent synthesisof the textual material for the student. The value of theillustrations as a teaching aid can really be appreciated whenthe slide set that is available is also purchased. The slidesmay seem to be an expensive "extra"-and they are! Butthey represent an extremely valuable teaching resource thatcould provide the core material for a complete neurochemis-try course . There are few books that could be considered tobe the "only book you'll need" when it comes to advisingstudents . I think that most teachers recommend two or threebooks, each of which have particular strengths and weak-nesses . At the moment in the field of neurochemistry BasicNeurochemistry falls into that rare category of the only bookthat's needed to provide students with an excellent groundingin our subject .

G. G. LuntUniversity of Bath

Bath, England

Experimental Neuroanatomy : A Practical Approach ed-ited by J. P. Bolam. Oxford University Press (IRL), NewYork, 1993, ISBN 0-19-963325-8, $39.00.

The main techniques presented in this comprehensivemanual can be broadly categorised into three main areas .Those for analysis of neuronal type include endogenous en-zyme histochemistry, immunohistochemistry, and in situ hy-bridisation . Neuronal morphology and projection are coveredby anterograde and/or retrograde transport of suitable tracersfollowing extracellular or intracellular injection and neuronalinterconnection by transsynaptic passage of virus. Generalmethods of tissue preparation and analysis of results at thelight and electron microscopic level are well covered in a

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dedicated opening chapter, as well as throughout the volume .There is much useful cross-referencing and comparison ofthe "pros and cons" of rival methods, and the final chaptergives some examples of how the techniques may be com-bined to the best advantage.

This book should prove invaluable to the neuroscientistdealing with tissue sections, and although the tissue culturisthas been neglected, many of the techniques are readily trans-posable to their system .

A. T. RogersSchool of Biology & Biochemistry

University of BathBath, U.K.

Glycobiology and the Brain edited by M. Nicolini and P.F. Zatta. Pergamon Press, Oxford, 1994, ISBN 0080422837,$125.00.

Glycobiology is a relatively new term used to summarizethe biological functions of different carbohydrates . The pres-ent compilation entitled Glycobiology and the Brain focuseson the function of glycoconjugates in the nervous system .In 15 chapters well-known researchers cover most aspectsin this area of glycobiology up to 1992-93 . However, someinformation is lacking. A chapter should have been devotedto the metabolic aspects of glycoconjugates . Also, the sectionon glycoconjugates in different diseases could have beenextended . No information is given on lysosomal diseasesand brain tumors . If space was lacking, the chapter on massspectrometry and NMR could have been deleted; althoughinformative and well written, this chapter is more for thespecialists in carbohydrate structural chemistry.With these minor objections the book can still be recom-

mended for purchase as a summary of the present knowledgeof glycoconjugates in nervous tissue.

Jan-Eric MânssonDepartment of Clinical Neuroscience

University of Göteborg,Göteborg, Sweden

Lipid Analysis : A Practical Approach edited by R. J. Ham-ilton and S. Hamilton . Oxford University Press, New York,1994, cloth ISBN 0199630984, $60.00; paperback ISBN0199630992, $42.00

Over 100 books in "The Practical Approach Series" havenowappeared . The current offering, LipidAnalysis, is aimed,according to the editors, at the beginner in lipid analysis .And the truth is, that unless you really are a "beginner,"you will not find this book very useful .The book opens with an introductory chapter dealing for

the most part with the structures of glycerolipids and onlybriefly touches on sterols and sphingolipids; the lack of treat-ment of sphingolipids will be cause for immediate concern

for the discerning neurochemist . After a chapter on extrac-tion methods, six chapters follow dealing with various ana-lytical methods. In general, the chapters are well written,and the experimental protocols are excellent. There is nodoubt that a newcomer to lipid research could become ex-tremely proficient in the experimental techniques needed forlipid extraction and analysis by following the protocolsfound in this book .

But there are also some serious deficiencies . Having achapter on radiotracers in lipid analysis is important, but lesscould have been written on measurement of radioactivityand more on how actually to label lipids in vivo . And howabout some protocols for analyzing sphingolipids and gangli-osides ; it is hard to find references to these important biologi-cal lipids in the book . There is barely a reference to inositollipids . And then there is the matter of the index. There havebeen more books published in the "Practical Approach Se-ries" than items listed in the index.

In summary, very useful if you are starting from scratch,but I suspect that readers of this journal would be lookingto spend their valuable research dollars on a more advancedtext .

Anthony H. FutermanDepartment of Membrane Research and Biophysics

Weizmann Institute of ScienceRehovot, Israel

Neurotoxins in Neurobiology : Their Actions and Appli-cations Edited by K. F. Tipton and F. Dajas. Ellis Horwood,Chichester, 1994, ISBN 0-13-614991-X, x + 196 pp ., £53/$85 .00 .

This volume may be viewed as a companion to Neurotox-ins in Neurochemistry (edited by J . O. Dolly), part of thecontinuing Neuroscience series from Ellis Horwood (editedby A. J. Turner) . The editors' desire that this volume willconvey some of the fascination of this research area is noble,but I fear that their hopes of encouraging others to study inthis area, as a result of this work, are misplaced. If, as isclaimed, the volume is aimed at research and developmentscientists in pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, itis misdirected . It may find more of a home with universityresearchers in neurobiology, but it should have been mademore accessible to final-year undergraduate and new post-graduate students . However, at £53, I suspect that it is aimedat libraries and not at postgraduates . This book will be auseful general reference work for essays and dissertationsand deserves to find a place in many university libraries.There are well-written chapters covering themes of toxindiversity, toxins (exclusively from snakes) and nerve func-tion, and neurotoxins, i .e ., tetanus toxin, ruthenium red, and

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MPTP . This forms a neat picture of neurotoxins in neurobiol-ogy ca . 1989-1992, but it is a small canvas with little detail .There are few typographical errors ; the book maintains thenow customary high publication standards of Ellis Horwood.It contains few references, and this must be somewhat of alimitation in such fast-moving areas closely associated withneurochemistry . Given the international reputations of theeditors and several of the contributors, the lack of sufficientgeneral background information, for newcomers to the field,is a great pity . The work is neither sufficiently detailed norcurrent enough for those actively involved in original re-search in the areas covered.

Ian S . BlagbroughUniversity of Bath

Bath, U.K.

Epidemiology of Mental Disorders and PsychosocialProblems : Dementia by A. S. Henderson . World HealthOrganization, Geneva, 1993, ISBN 92-4-156164-5, x + 62pp ., $15.30 (paper) .

This short book is one of a series of monographs reviewingissues related to the diagnosis and classification of mentaldisorders, as well as the standardized instruments used intheir assessment . Reliable and comparable epidemiologicaldata on dementia are difficult to assemble owing to lack ofagreement concerning nomenclature and diagnostic systemsand the absence of biological markers.The monograph first looks at diagnostic issues in Alzhei-

mer's disease, vascular dementia, and other rarer dementingdisorders, including Lewy body disease. The meat of thebook tabulates published studies on the incidence and preva-lence of dementia, followed by a brief review of what isknown about risk factors . As is usual in such reviews, thesection on genetic factors is already out-of-date .The author is to be congratulated for packing so much

information into so little space. The main use of such abrief monograph will be to inform those concerned with theplanning and delivery of health services : The "very old"population is increasing at a dramatic rate, particularly indeveloping countries. The tables and references are a usefulsource for those wishing to track down the epidemiologicalliterature . I am not sure that researchers working in labora-tory neuroscience will find much to interest them, but theymight benefit from a quick read-entities such as Alzhei-mer's disease are not so well defined as we sometimes liketo think.

Roger BriggsUniversity of Southampton

Southampton, U.K.

.1. Neurochem., Vol. 64, No. 3, 1995