Biochemical Basis of Neuropharmacology

by Jack R. Cooper, Floyd E. Bloom, Robert Y. Roth, et al.

Book Overview

In addition to updating each chapter and including a new discussion of the gaseous neuromodulators nitric oxide and carbon monoxide, the authors have dropped a formerly featured chapter on metabolism in the CNS and incorporated most of this material into a new chapter on the genetic basis of neurological and psychiatric diseases. With the almost bi-weekly discovery of genes that appear to be involved in diseases of the nervous system, this area has...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0195103998
• ISBN13: 9780195103991
• Release Date: January 1996
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
• Length: 528 Pages
• Weight: 1.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.5" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

Very Informative

Although a bit dry in parts, it gives a good picture overall of how neurotransmitters and brain receptors work. A comprehensive book about the fields of neurochemistry and neuropharmacology.

Neuropharmacology

This reference is easy to read. As well, unlike most pharmacology texts, this one does not concentrate on drugs, but rather on the underlying physiology. There is an introduction to neurons, synapses and action potentials. There is an introduction to modern molecular methods. It is interesting to note that in describing molecular cloning methods, the work of J. G. Sutcliffe, R.J. Milner, and F.E. Bloom is reported whereby a cDNA library was prepared from mRNAs from whole rat brain, then it was seen what individual cDNAs hybridized with the mRNAs from rat liver and kidney. Approximately 30,000 of the brain's 50,000 mRNAs were not detected in the liver or kidney, showing that much of the rat's DNA is for neuronal purposes. In the introduction to receptors, it is noted that there about a thousand known receptors to neurotransmitters, hormones and odorants. The introduction to neuromodulators includes the neuronal effects of nitric oxide (thought to be involved in both long-term potentiation LTP and long-term depression LTD; nitric oxide synthase inhibitors will block NMDA receptor activation). The chapter on amino acid neurotransmitters includes excitatory glutamate and aspartate, and inhibitory GABA, glycine, alanine, cystathionine and serine. There are chapters on cholinergic (acetylcholine) and catecholaminergic (norepinephrine, epinephrine and dopamine) neurotransmitters. Serotonin and histamine neurotransmitters are considered in detail in the next chapter. There is an introduction to neuroactive peptides, noting that they must be synthesized on ribosomes, then at the smooth endoplasmic reticulum they are put into vesicles in a prohormonal form, and only then transported to the nerve terminals. The book concludes with introductions to the cellular mechanisms involved in learning, and the involvement of neurotransmitters in neurological and psychiatric illnesses.

Excellent introductory glimpse of neuropharmacology

This book is an excellent introductory text, suitable for undergraduates or "outsiders", outlining the basic principles of neuropharmacology. Reviews of the major concepts involved in neurotransmission are included in the first half of the book, such as cellular and molecular (read DNA) biological basics as well as descriptions of amino acid based neurotransmission. The second half of the book is organized with each chapter devoted to a single molecule. My major criticism is that although the title is "The BIOCHEMICAL Basis of Neuropharmacology", the chemistry in the text is rather simple and incomplete, and the lack of quantitative discussion of pharmacokinetics is a major disappointment. All beginning students of neuropharmacology should purchase this book - in paperback it is truly a bargain. END