The maturation phenomenon, first described by Ito et al. in 1975, refers to postischemic changes that develop hours or days after an ischemic insult. The delayed neuronal death of CA1 pyramidal cells of the hippocampus is a classic example. The report of the phenomenon boosted research in the field, as it became evident that ischemic damage is not a sudden event, but a process potentially susceptible to therapeutic intervention. Since then a growing number of studies have improved our knowledge on mechanisms of cell death and recovery. This volume contains the presentations of the 4th international symposium, held in New Orleans in October/November 1999, grouped in sections covering apoptosis and/or necrosis, neuronal recovery vs. death, and protection against infarction. It outlines the present status of investigations and provides further stimulation for research in this field.

The Maturation Phenomenon, described by Ito et al. in 1975 [3) on the basis of his to logical observations in the hippocampus as well as other portions of the cerebral hemisphere, refers to the hours or days of delay in the development of pathological changes in various parameters of ischemic injury following the restoration of blood flow to the ischemic brain. There is a direct relationship between the intensity of ischemic insult and the speed and rate of maturation of ischemic injury, a lesser intensity being associated with slower and less severe development of the lesions. The delayed neuronal death of CAl pyramidal cells of the hippocampus [8) is a classic example. In the cerebral cortex, with increasing intensity of the ischemic insult, the maturation phenomenon of ischemic injuries intensifies, seamlessly, from less exten sive to more extensive disseminated selective neuronal necrosis (DSNN), and then further to cerebral infarction upon reaching a critical threshold [1,2,4,6,7). We also have found that following ischemic insults just under the threshold level required to induce infarction, only disseminated selective neuronal necrosis (DSNN) progresses, while following ischemic insults at the threshold level, initially only DSNN develops, followed by the evolution of a gradually enlarging infarcted focus [5, 7). The reporting of this phenomenon boosted research in the field, as it became evi dent that ischemic damage is not a sudden event, but a process potentially susceptible to therapeutic intervention.

Many nerve cells of the brain which are not killed outright may suffer delayed death or recovery after ischemic insult. This fact has led to the concept of "maturation phenomenon" of neuronal injuries. Since the 1st International Symposium on Maturation Phenomenon in 1990, new developments, particularly in molecular biology, have been rapidly bringing new information about molecular nature and mechanisms of cell death. This book contains the presentations of the 2nd International Symposium held in Tokyo in April 1996. The latest developments in maturation phenomenon and the present status of investigation are described and further stimulation of research in this field is provided.

It has been well recognized that following an ischemic insult many nerve cells of the brain are not killed outright, but may suffer a "delayed neuronal death" or even recover. This led to the concept of "maturation phenomenon" with its main implication that the maturation of ischemic lesions may provide a "window of opportunity" i.e. a period of time when the injury to neuronal elements is still reversible, and during which an application of proper therapeutic measures might be successful. The symposium on Maturation Phenomenon in Cerebral Ischemia was the first international meeting focussed primarily on this subject and the resulting publication contains presentations and discussionsby prominent researchers engaged in this field. This book should stimulate further research on potential of brain tissue for recovery, and particularly with regard to a functional recovery of neurons suffering from chronic ischemic injury.

Brain edema is a simple phenomenon – an abnormal increase of brain tissue volume by the increase of brain tissue water content. However the etiology is not simple and relating to a wide variety of neurological disorders including ischemia, trauma, tumor, hemorrhage and hydrocephalus. It is still a major cause of death in the neurological/neurosurgical ward. This volume is an up-to-date report on progress in brain edema research, diagnosis and treatment, including papers presented at the 12th International Symposium on Brain Edema and Brain Tissue Injury in 2002. Major topics include molecular biology and blood-brain barrier disorders, ischemic and traumatic brain edema, imaging and diagnosis of brain edema, treatment and radiation effect. Various papers in the rapidly growing fields of neuroimaging and molecular medicine are also included.

Covering neuroscience and rehabilitation strategies, an essential handbook and reference for multidisciplinary stroke rehabilitation teams.

Because stroke is essentially a disease of the vessels and blood flow, the most fundamental aspects of ischemic blood flow in the brain are under investigation by researchers. Their work was the focus of the sixth in the series of Keio University International Symposia for Life Sciences and Medicine, held in Tokyo in 1999. Selected here are 55 papers from the symposium, covering the buffy coat (glycocalyx) of endothelial cells, the blood-brain barrier and permeability, gene expression, vascular reactivity, dysregulation, inflammatory deterioration, cortical spreading depression, edema, microvascular derangement, and pathology, in ten major sections. The book includes the thought-provoking discussions that followed the presentations, thus providing an invaluable source of up-to-date information not only for researchers investigating microcirculation but also for clinicians implementing the most effective treatment for stroke patients.

This multidisciplinary book covers all aspects of oxygen delivery to tissue, including blood flow and its regulation as well as oxygen metabolism as discussed at the 33rd Annual Meeting of the International Society on Oxygen Transport to Tissue (ISOTT) held in Australia in 2005. Special attention is paid to methods of oxygen measurement in living tissue and the application of these technologies to understanding the physiological and biochemical basis for pathology related to tissue oxygenation.

Infant Play Therapy is a groundbreaking resource for practitioners interested in the varied play therapy theories, models, and programs available for the unique developmental needs of infants and children under the age of three. The impressive list of expert contributors in the fields of play therapy and infant mental health cover a wide range of early intervention play-based models and topics. Chapters explore areas including: neurobiology, developmental trauma, parent-infant attachment relationships, neurosensory play, affective touch, grief and loss, perinatal depression, adoption, autism, domestic violence, sociocultural factors, and more. Chapter case studies highlight leading approaches and offer techniques to provide a comprehensive understanding of both play therapy and the ways we understand and recognize the therapeutic role of play with infants. In these pages professionals and students alike will find valuable clinical resources to bring healing to family systems with young children.

Prevention, diagnosis and treatment are the watchwords in stroke research, for basic neuroscientists and clinicians alike. This 2002 book, from the 22nd Princeton Conference on Cerebrovascular Disease, contains contributions from outstanding investigators on numerous topics in stroke research. The contents cover the status and future directions of stroke pathophysiology, diagnosis and treatment, with special emphasis on the molecular and cellular mechanisms of ischaemic cell death and repair, and clinical issues including imaging, risk factors and therapeutic strategies in stroke. Available in both print and online formats, this survey of the basic and clinical science of stroke is an essential resource for all involved in advancing knowledge of cerebrovascular disease.