There are increasing lines of evidence showing that neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD) is not limited to the brain but also occurs in the retina. Consequently, AD/PD patients can gradually develop vision problems. This neurological and ophthalmological disorder creates a pressing need for developing therapy to treat vision impairment in AD/PD. On the other hand, pathophysiological changes in the retina may reflect what might happen in the same diseases in the brain. Thus retinal studies may allow us to develop quantifiable measures for the diagnosis and prognosis of disease progression. Furthermore, parallel or early pathophysiological changes of the retina in AD/PD allow us to study retina-brain interactions.

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The aim of Early Markers in Parkinson's and Alzheimer's Diseases is to provide the reader with updated data on various approaches whose investigation and development could contribute to the discovery of early diag- nostic markers of these two degenerative diseases. Concerning Parkinson's disease, some of the topics dealt with in the book will help update the information previously reported in Early Diagnosis and Preventive Therapy in Parkinson's Disease. Concerning Alzheimer's disease, the scope and limitations of electrophysiological and brain imaging techniques with regards to early detection of the disease are documented. Various biochemical parameters, such as brain energy metabolism, levels of choline, and platelet monoamine oxidase activity are envisaged as some of the starting points for the discovery of early diagnostic markers of Alzheimer's disease.

This volume contains the proceedings of the 2005 ADPD conference and is unique in that it deals not only with issues related individually to Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, but also with the integration of these and other related diseases. The most up-to-date techniques and research findings are illustrated in this volume, which covering topics from immunology, neuroscience, and pharmacology to genetics and molecular biology. Possible future developments in the treatment of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Diseases are also covered.

This book represents the third in a series of International Conferences related to Alzheimer's (AD) and Parkinson's (PD) diseases. The first one took place in Eilat, Israel, in 1985; and the second one in Kyoto, Japan, in 1989. This book contains the full text of oral and poster presentations from the Third International Conference on Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Diseases: Recent Developments, held in Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A. on November 1-6, 1993. The Chicago Conference was attended by 270 participants. The Scientific Program was divided into nine oral sessions, a keynote presentation, and a poster session. The conference culminated in a Round Table Discussion involving all of the participants in the conference. The four and one-half day meeting served as an excellent medium for surveying the current status of clinical and preclinical developments in AD and PD. There were 59 oral presentations and 93 posters. This book incorporates a majority of both.

This book represents the fourth ina series of international conferences related to Alzheimer's (AD) and Parkinson's (PO) diseases. The first one took place in EHat, Israel in 1985; the second in Kyoto, Japan, in 1989; and the third in Chicago, IL, USA in 1993. This book incorporates the proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Pro gress in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Diseases, held in EHat, Israel, on May 18-23, 1997. This Conference was the 41st in the series of annual OHOLO Conferences sponsored by the Israel Institute for Biological Research (IIBR). It was also conducted under the aus pices of the Alzheimer's Association Ronald and Nancy Reagan Research Institute, USA. The Conference was attended by 550 participants from 28 countries, representing a broad spectrum of research interests; and included a well-balanced representation from aca demia, clinical institutions and pharmaceutical industry. The four-and-one-half day meeting served as an excellent medium for surveying the current preclinical and clinical develop ments in AD, PO, and other related disorders. The scientific program was divided into 24 oral sessions and daily poster sessions. The conference culminated in a round table discus sion. There were 122 talks and 161 posters. This book incorporates a combination of both.

In his original essay on the shaking palsy (1817) James Parkinson remarked that the "senses and intellect were uninjured". Thus, it was only in later years that the complexity ofparkinsonism and in particular Parkinson's disease with dementia was recognised. Cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease is common and is estimated to affect more than forty per cent of patients with disease onset after age 65. Recent studies suggest that pathology of Parkin son's disease now ranks second to Alzheimer's disease as the commonest sub strate of dementia in elderly patients. The condition is heterogeneous and there remain many complicated and unresolved questions concerning cause, diagnosis and classification. In an attempt to clarify these issues, scientists and members of the European Brain Bank Network (EBBN) gathered in London for a meeting entitled "Dementia in Parkinsonism". The resultant monograph is testimony to the wide-ranging clinical, morphological and biochemical aspects of this condition. We are grateful to all contributors for expressing their expert opinions and for being so generous with their time taken in prepa ration of the manuscripts. The meeting was funded by the Commission of the European Communities as part of a Biomed-l Programme. We wish to thank Amgen Limited, Lilly Industries Limited and Roche Products Limited for additional sponsorship. The expert secretarial assistance of R. Nani in the pre paration of this book has been very much appreciated. London, November 1997 S. E. Daniel F. F. Cruz-Sanchez A. J. Lees Contents Stern, G. : The language of the basal ganglia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

This non-fiction book informs those interested in neuroscience and medicine about the latest findings on the therapy of neurodegeneration with a focus on Alzheimer's dementia and Parkinson's disease. What happens in the brain when we are ageing? How does neuronal cell death occur when we become forgetful? Which new therapies are available to combat the death of brain cells? Supported by illustrative drawings, Lars P. Klimaschewski presents the latest developments in neurobiological ageing research in an understandable way and reports exciting news from the Alzheimer's and Parkinson's laboratories worldwide. On his personal website klimasbrainblog.com, Lars P. Klimaschewski provides up-to-date and in-depth information on the book.

A comprehensive review of what is known not only about the cause and treatment of atypical parksonian disorders, but also the issues that clinicians, researchers, patients, and caregivers face in dealing with them. The authors cover the basic science (history, epidemiology, genetics, pathology, nosology, computer modeling, and animal models), detailed clinical and laboratory assessments, and available diagnostic tools, including neuropsychiatric, neurologic, neuropsychologic, speech, electrophysiologic, and imaging evaluations. Current and future therapeutic approaches are also detailed, along with extensive discussions about future research directions.