Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder charact- ized clinically by tremor, rigidity, slow movements, and postural instability. Pathologically, dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra bear the brunt of the degeneration, though other neuronal groups can be affected as well. Although Parkinson's disease is the only neurodegenerative disorder for which effective therapies are available, these treatment options are only symptomatic, do not influence the underlying degenerative process, and are associated with a high incidence of complications, particularly with their long-term use. The progressive nature of the disease and the limitations of its palliative therapies result in significant functional impairment. The chronic disability and the increased prevalence of the disease with the prolongation of life expectancy in developed countries make the social and economic impact of this disease quite high. For- nately, systematic basic and clinical research inthis disease has yielded major new advances that render patients' hopes for a cure considerably closer to reality. The application of molecular biologic methodologies in the study of Parkinson's disease has begun to have a major impact only in recent years. Con- quently, the utility of these technologies is largely in the research arena, although their clinical applications are now being realized.
Hinweis: Dieser Artikel kann nur an eine deutsche Lieferadresse ausgeliefert werden.
Hinweis: Dieser Artikel kann nur an eine deutsche Lieferadresse ausgeliefert werden.
"The most unique feature of this book is the detail in which the molecular methods are described. Each author has provided detailed information about his or her methodology, including equipment and reagents used. The book is divided into four large sections: genetics, molecular pathogenetic studies, molecular studies of the basal ganglia, and molecular therapies. . .This is a fairly unique book. . .The level of methodological detail is greater than what is provided in a typical research publication. Active researchers will find it a valuable resource when designing experiments."-Doody's Health Sciences Book Review Journal "...provides extensive coverage of the different techniques employed by molecular geneticists and neurobiologists for studying the pathogenesis of PD....Parkinson's Disease: Methods and Protocols is well organized and provides a valuable resource for graduate students and postdoctoral scientists....The notes at the end of each chapter are particularly beneficial because they are based on the practical experience of experts in the field who have developed the models and methods....covers a wide spectrum of ongoing research in the PD field and provides insight into cross-disciplinary approaches that will facilitate finding a cure for PD." - Journal of Molecular Neuroscience