Synopses & Reviews
The brain's three sensory circumventricular organs, the subfornical organ, organum vasculosum of the lamina terminalis and the area postrema lack a blood brain barrier and are the only regions in the brain in which neurons are exposed to the chemical environment of the systemic circulation. Therefore they are ideally placed to monitor the changes in osmotic, ionic and hormonal composition of the blood. This book describes their - General structure and relationship to the cerebral ventricles - Regional subdivisions - Vasculature and barrier properties - Neurons, glia and ependymal cells - Receptors, neurotransmitters, neuropeptides and enzymes - Neuroanatomical connections - Functions
Synopsis
This is the only book entirely devoted to the sensory circumventricular organs. It reviews research into their detailed anatomy, neurochemistry, neural connections, and functions, and provides the reader with many illustrations previously unpublished.
Table of Contents
Introduction.-Location, general structure and ependymal cells of sensory circumventricular organs.-Regional subdivisions within sensory circumventricular organs.-Vasculature, compartmental barriers, neurons and glia in the sensory circumventricular organs.-Neurochemical aspects of sensory circumventricular organs.-The neural connections of the sensory circiumventricular organs.-Immediate early gene expression in the sensory circumventricular organs.-Functions of the sensory circumventricular organs.-Summary.-subject index