The Human Hypothalamus in Health and Disease: Proceedings of the 17th International Summer School of Brain Research, the Auditorium of the University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 26(v. 93 Progress in Brain Research)

This book is based on the first international multidisciplinary conference on the human hypothalamus in health and disease, where international experts shared current knowledge. The involvement of the hypothalamus in human development, and alterations in hypothalamic structures connected to human diseases are areas which have only recently been published in scientific literature. Such data provides unique information on possible functions of the different hypothalamic nuclei. With the advent of powerful molecular, physiological, neuroanatomical and morphometric techniques, more questions and answers will be generated. Already different groups from various disciplines in many countries work on different aspects of the human hypothalamus and its workings, providing new and exciting data. This volume integrates this new information in the form of review chapters for students, researchers and clinicians. In addition, the book will initiate further interdisciplinary international colloborative research efforts in this field.

Table of Contents:
List of contributors. Preface. Acknowledgements. Section I. Structure of the human hypothalamus. 1. Anatomy of the human hypothalamus [chiasmatic and tuberal region] (H. Braak and E. Braak). Section II. Clinical manifestations of hypothalamic diseases. 2. Endocrine functions of the hypothalamus and alterations in neuroendocrine function - focus on thyrotropin and growth hormone (M.F. Scanlon). 3. Neurologic manifestation of hypothalamic diseases (J.B. Martin and P.N. Riskind). Section III. Technical potentialities and pitfalls in the use of human material. 4. In situ hybridization histochemistry in the human hypothalamus (G. Mengod et al.). 5. Receptor localization in the human hypothalamus (J.M. Palacios et al.). 6. Human hypothalamic and pituitary neuroendocrine function during in vitro perfusion (D.D. Rasmussen). 7. Brain banking and the human hypothalamus - factors to match for and possible pitfalls. (R. David et al.). Section IV. Biological rhythms. 8. The organization of the human circadian timing system (R.Y. Moore). 9. Prenatal development of a hypothalamic biological clock (S.M. Reppert). 10. The human hypothalamus: comparative morphometry and photoperiodic influences (M.A. Hofman and D.F. Swaab). 11. Circadian rhythms and the suprachiasmatic nucleus in perinatal development, aging and Alzheimer's disease (M. Mirmiran). Section V. Development, aging and dementia. 12. Ontogeny of peptides in the human hypothalamus in relation to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) (N. Kopp et al.). 13. LHRH neurons: functions and developments (M. Schwanzel-Fukuda et al.). 14. Differentiation of the human hypothalamus in relation to gender and sexual orientation (D.F. Swaab et al.). 15. Hormonal influences on morphology and neuropeptide gene expression in the infundibular nucleus of postmenopausal women (N.E. Rance). 16. The human hypothalamo-neurohypophyseal system in relation to development, aging and Alzheimer's disease (E. Goudsmit et al.). 17. The hypothalamic tuberal lateral nucleus: normal anatomy and changes in neurological diseases (H.P.H. Kremer). 18. Galanin tuberomammillary neurons in the hypothalamus in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases (V.L. Chan-Palay and B. Jentsch). Section VI. Osmoregulation. 19. Animal models for osmoregulatory disturbances (F.W. van Leeuwen). 20. Autoimmune hypothalamic diabetes insipidus ("autoimmune hypothalamitis") (W. Scherbaum). 21. The molecular biology of human hereditary central diabetes insipidus (D.R. Repaske and J.A. Phillips III). 22. The use of linkage analysis and the C.E.P.H. panel of DNA in the study of the arginine vasopressin, oxytocin, and prodynorphin gene loci (M.L. Summar). Section VII. Hypothalamus and reproduction. 23. Animal models for brain and pituitary gonadal disturbances (H.M. Charlton and M.J. Wood). 24. Genetic, hypothalamic and endocrine features of clinical and experimental obesity (G.A. Bray). 25.