Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)--also termed "motor neuron disease" or "Lou Gehrig's disease"--is a common disorder and a number of texts have appeared over the last several years regarding either its clinical or biological characteristics. However, there are no existing texts that discuss the clinical, neuroimaging, neuropathological and neurochemical characteristics of dementia in ALS. This is in spite of the increasing evidence that dementias occur in ALS and that they share many features in common with a frontotemporal lobar degeneration. The importance of this is highlighted by the...

Trace minerals and metals such as zinc, copper, and magnesium are accepted as a "natural" part of the human system. Interactions of some elements and/or disturbances in trace-metal or mineral homeostasis can, however, be toxic to the central nervous system (CNS). Mineral and Metal Neurotoxicology describes a wide range of basic and clinical issues regarding the relationship between mineral-metal interactions and neurological disorders. The most current information and latest advancements in neurotoxicology and environmental science are presented by experts from around the world. Part I...

Over the past ten years, there has been an increasing recognition that syndromes of frontotemporal dysfunction (FTD) are a common occurrence in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Such syndromes may be present in as many as 60% of patients with ALS. Conversely, the occurrence of motor neuron dysfunction in patients with clinically pure frontotemporal dementia is increasingly recognized. This suggests that to some extent there are overlapping syndromes in which both ALS and FTD occur within the same individual. This volume summarizes the advances in our understanding of these...