This volume contains the contributions to the "3rd Expert Meeting in Psychoneuroimmunology," held in Munich, Germany in autumn 1997. Clinical psychiatrists, neuroscientists and researchers in basic immuno logy from Europe and the USA gather together annually at this new tra ditional meeting to discuss new findings and trends in the relationship between psychiatric disorders and the immune system. Pinpointed at the Munich meeting in particular were the possible influence of viral infec tions on psychiatric disorders, especially schizophrenia, and the possible pathophysiological mechanisms...

The role of the metals copper, zinc, magnesium, lead, manganese, mercury, lithium and aluminium in neuropsychiatric disease are well known and has been discussed on several occasions. Yet little attention has been paid to iron, the most abundant transitional metal in the body and the earth's crust. Iron plays a major role as a cofactor of numerous metabolic enzymes, it is important for DNA and protein synthesis, and has a crucial role in the oxygen carrying capacity of haemoglobin. Some of the most devastating diseases of systemic organs are associated with abnormal iron metabolism. Yet only...

Alzheimers Disease (AD), the most frequent cause of mental decline in the elderly represents one of the major health problems facing modern society. Despite considerable progress in the clinical diagnosis, epidemiology, structural basis, biochemistry, molecular genetics, and pharmacological aspects of AD, its etiology, molecular backgrounds, and treatment challenges are still poorly understood. This volume based on the 2nd International Symposium of EBEWE Research Initiative in October 1993 in Salzburg, Austria, is conceived as a review of our current knowledge of morphology, diagnostic...

This book is based on lectures held at the In ternational Expert Meeting "Current Update on Psychoimmunology" (September 26-28, 1996, Graz, Austria), which was organized by "Ver ein zur Forderung der Wissenschaft und For schung an der Universitatsklinik fUr Psychia trie Graz" (Chairman: H. -G. Zapotoczky; Coor dinators: M. Lux, G. Wieselmann; Local Orga nizing Committee: E. Braun, M. Bretterklieber, H. Hausler, G. Herzog, S. Kriechbaum, S. Sper lich). The book tries to close the gap between immunological findings on one hand, psychological, psychopathological, electrophysiological and...