Brain Ischemia

Professor Caplan has extensively edited the book to shape and organize the contents into a succinct presentation by experts of the basic science and clinical aspects of the topic. The text has been divided into sections: The Brain.- Macroscopic and microscopic molecular aspects of brain ischemia, including pathophysiology, pathology, biochemistry, and clinical measurement.- Blood Vessels.- Their constitution and the pathology and physiology of the endothelium and arterial wall.- Blood Flow.- Its physics, control, rheology, and pathophysiology.- Blood.- The role of the cellular and serological constituents in coagulation and fibrinolysis. - Heart.- Sources of embolism and cardiac changes caused by brain ischemia.- And Epidemiology, Databases, and Trials. Prefatory remarks by Professor Caplan introduce each section. At the end of each section he relates the basic concepts to patient problems in the clinic, integrates the various contributions in the section, and covers other areas not discussed by the individual contributors.

Section I: The Brain.- Prefatory Comments.- 1. Mechanisms of Cell Death in Ischemia.- 2. Positron Emission Tomography (PET) in Acute Ischemic Stroke: Pathophysical and Clinical Implications.- 3. Excitotoxicity and Stroke.- 4. Growth Factors in Stroke.- 5. Ischemic Cerebral Edema.- Concluding Comments.- Section II: The Eye.- Prefatory Comments.- 6. Ocular Ischemia.- Concluding Comments.- Section III. The Blood.- Prefatory Comments.- 7. Coagulation.- 8. Immunohematologic Mechanisms in Stroke.- 9. Fibrinolysis and its Relevance to Acute Focal Cerebral Ischemia.- Concluding Comments.- Section IV: The Blood Vessels.- Prefatory Comments.- 10. Atherosclerosis.- 11. Cerebral Vasoconstriction: Physiology, Pathophysiology and Occurrence in Selected Cerebrovascular Disorders.- 12. Endothelial Cells and Cerebrovascular Disease.- 13. Physical Factors in the Pathogenesis of Atheroma Formation.- 14. Microvascular Pathology.- Concluding Comments.- Section V: Blood Flow, Blood Pressure and Intracranial Pressure.- Prefatory Comments.- 15. Autoregulation, Hypertension and Regulation of the Cerebral Circulation.- 16. The Innervation of Pial Blood Vessels and their Role in Cerebrovascular Regulation.- 17. Rheology of Flow and its Effects.- 18. Pathophysiology of Raised Intracranial Pressure.- 19. Central Neurogenic Regulation of Regional Cerebral Blood Flow (rCBF) and Relationship to Neuroprotection.- Concluding Comments.- Section VI: The Heart.- Prefatory Comments.- 20. Cardiac Disease and Embolic Sources.- 21. Heart and Brain Relationships.- Concluding Comments.- Section VII: Clinical Research: Epidemiology, Statistics, Databases and Trials.- Prefatory Comments.- 22. Epidemiology and Trials.- 23. Stroke Databanks and Stroke Registries.- Concluding Comments.