Strangeness in the night | |
Alzheimer disease: from molecular biology to therapy.
Robert Becker, Ezio Giacobini, editors. Boston: Birkhauser 1996
(xiv + 620 pp.). |
If you know someone who is interested in the molecular biology and
pharmacology of Alzheimer's disease, this interesting collection
of "bite-size" articles is the ideal birthday gift. Topics range from
neuropathology, with up-to-date information on plaques and tangles
(the so-called tombstones of the disease), through to highly
technical articles on neurochemical changes, and smaller sections
on behaviour disturbance and ethical issues. The editors have been
ruthless in keeping the chapters to about eight pages each, so there is
no time to get bored with any subject -- you are often left wanting more!
Some of the articles are reviews and others report original research. It is sometimes difficult to assess the quality of the research because the report is so short, but many of the authors have impressive "pedigrees", and they write authoritatively. Contributions come from the United States, Canada, most European countries, Israel and China (including Hong Kong), but the United Kingdom and Australia are not well represented. Quite a few of the articles appear to have been translated, and there are some wonderful expressions -- "maladjusted vocal behaviour" (shouting), "boisterousness in the night" (day-night reversal), and "lustful gestures" (no interpretation needed) in a chapter on behaviour disturbance. In Australia we are soon to be presented with new drugs for the treatment of early Alzheimer's disease, and so the section on cholinesterase inhibitors and other possible new drugs is timely. As with any publication in a rapidly changing research area, a little of the subject matter is already dated, and at around $135 the book is not cheap, but for those who need to keep up with recent advances and current know ledge, and also understand where we may be heading in future, it is a useful collection of information. Susan Kurrle
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