The human brain is remarkably complex, permitting sophisticated behavioural rep- toires, such as languages, tool use, self-awareness, symbolic thought, cultural learning and consciousness. Each human being is different, due in part to the uniqueness of the neuronal heterogeneity and interconnections in our brains. Brain complexity and neuronal diversity are strongly related. The diversity of single neurons provides the underpinnings for how neuronal circuits operate. How and when neuronal diversity is generated, both in embryonic and adult neurogenesis, remain unknown. In the immune system,...

Gene transfer technology is a powerful tool for increasing our understandingof brain functions. It is also the basis of gene therapy, which is now technically possible for the correction of many human diseases, including several disorders of the nervous (and muscular) system such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and dystrophy. This volume, which contains the proceedings of a symposium of the Fondation Ipsen, provides a unique view of the state of the art on different transgenes, vectors, target cells, and clinical applications related to the nervous system.

The recent advances in Programming Somatic Cell (PSC) including induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPS) and Induced Neuronal phenotypes (iN), has changed our experimental landscape and opened new possibilities. The advances in PSC have provided an important tool for the study of human neuronal function as well as neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental diseases in live human neurons in a controlled environment. For example, reprogramming cells from patients with neurological diseases allows the study of molecular pathways particular to specific subtypes of neurons such as dopaminergic neurons...

Written by leading experts in the field, this book examines the latest research on neurodegenerative diseases and presents prospects for novel therapies.