Neural Transplantation in Cerebellar Ataxia

by Lazaros Triarhou

Overview

erebellar ataxia is a failure in muscular coordination that re­ C sults from a slow, progressive deterioration of neurons in the cerebellum. An estimated 150,000 people are affected by the he­ reditary ataxias and related disorders in the United States. At present, there is no known cure. In an experimental treatment aimed at reconstructing the damaged pathway through exog­ enous neuronal supplementation, genetically ataxic mice have been used for intracerebral grafting of genetically healthy cerebellar neuroblasts, and evidence has been obtained for graft-induced en­ hancement of behavioral responses after bilateral cerebellar grafts. Such results are encouraging and underscore the potential of the neural grafting technique in restoring cerebellar function. How­ ever, many of the pathological and biochemical mechanisms in the interaction between grafted tissue and the host brain need to be further elucidated in extensive experimental studies, and great cau­ tion must be used in contemplating the theoretical feasibility of a possible application in humans.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9783662222157
Publisher:	Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Publication date:	06/15/2013
Series:	Neuroscience Intelligence Unit
Edition description:	Softcover reprint of the original 1st ed. 1997
Pages:	162
Product dimensions:	7.01(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.01(d)

Table of Contents

1. Introduction.- 2. Cerebellar Structure and Development.- 3. The Human Cerebellar Ataxias.- 4. Cerebellar Mutants in the Laboratory Mouse.- 5. Neurological Mutant Mice as Genetic Models for Neuronal Transplantation.- 6. Basic Studies on Cerebellar Tissue Transplantation.- 7. Structural Integration of Cerebellar Grafts in Ataxic Mouse Mutants.- 8. Cerebellar Grafting and the Recovery of Function.- 9. Clinical Potential.

Editorial Reviews

This monograph concentrates on the mouse model of neural transplantation for cerebellar ataxia. The author also provides several extensive introductory chapters, which give an overview of neural transplantation in humans and mice. Chapters 7 and 8, dealing with the structural integration and recovery of function after cerebellar grafting, are the best written and gratifying to read. The purpose of this book is to present a comprehensive treatise on the use of fetal grafts to counteract the deficits associated with cerebellar dysfunction in experimental models of hereditary ataxia. The author was not explicit as to the target audience, although the publisher intended this monograph for ""sophisticated researchers and clinicians."" The author is a well-known and credible authority on this subject. The book is well written and reads rather fluently. The format is appropriate and pleasing to the eye. The text could benefit from some additional illustrations, such as schematic drawings to aid in grasping and remembering the facts and concepts. The references are pertinent and extensive. The dynamic and promising field of neural transplantation has created a pressing need for readable texts and reviews directed at a wide population of scientists and physicians. Although the subject of this book could arguably be best summarized in a review paper or a chapter in a more general text on neural transplantation, any format for such a review is welcome. This monograph is a valuable acquisition for a medical library, but is rather narrow in spectrum to be bought by a physician not involved in the field of neural transplantation. Although it is probably not the first text to be read by aphysician interested in transplantation in the nervous system, this well rounded and highly readable book is a welcome addition to the library of the initiated.

Ben Zion Roitberg