The picture on the following page is being reproduced here, at the request of the partici pants in the Advanced Research Workshop "Amino Acid Availability and Brain Function in Health and Disease". I displayed this limewood carving, entitled "Neurochemistry", during my closing remarks to this extraordinarily stimulating and productive workshop so ably organized by my collaborator Dr. Gerald Huether. We scientists need two sturdy legs to carry us through all the twists and turns of our academic careers. We should also have, as it were, a reserve leg handy, to help us stay upright when this career ends. My "third leg" is wood carving. The idea for "Neurochemis try" came to me in the plane carrying me to the congress of the International Neuro chemical Society in Jerusalem. We need the hands for our meticulous experimental work, and at least one ear to listen to the messages our neurons send us. A few years ago it would have been premature to hold a workshop on this subject. Now, however, the time was just right to allow an overview of the status of current re search, and to point out the promising new openings it has created. There is no doubt that the book to be published as a result of this workshop will be, for the next years at least, the standard text on the subject. Hearty thanks to all speakers for their brilliant con tributions and to all participants for the lively, uninhibited and stimulating discussion.

Autorentext
Dr. rer. nat. Dr. med. habil. Gerald Hüther, geb. 1951, ist Professor für Neurobiologie an der Psychiatrischen Klinik der Universität Göttingen. Zuvor, am Max-Planck-Institut für experimentelle Medizin, hat er sich mit Hirnentwicklungsstörungen und mit der langfristigen Modulation monoaminerger Systeme beschäftigt; als Heisenbergstipendiat hat er ein Labor für neurobiologische Grundlagenforschung aufgebaut.

Klappentext

This survey of the present state-of-the-art and of the most recent developments in the field of amino acid availability and brain physiology provides more than 40 contributions by leading scientists. Seven interrelated chapters cover following topics: - peripheral control of brain amino acid supply; - uptake, compartimentation, and utilization of brain amino acids; - influence of an altered precursor amino acid supply: - on transmitter metabolism, - on functional neurotransmission and - on physiology and behaviour; - impact of an altered amino acid supply in neurologic and psychiatric diseases, and - the role of amino acid availability during embryogenesis and brain development.

Inhalt
I. Peripheral Control of Brain Amino Acid Supply.- Nutritional and Metabolic Control of Brain Amino Acid Concentrations.- Tews Essential Nature of the Dispensable Amino Acids and their Possible Influence on the Development and Function of the Brain. With a Note on the Question of Whether the Fetus Really Concentrates Amino Acids from the Mother's Blood.- The Importance of the Liver as a Regulator of Amino Acid Supply to the Brain.- Bioavailability of Amino Acids and Amino Acid Precursors for Neurotransmitter Action: The Role of Hormones.- Feeding, Stress, Exercise and the Supply of Amino Acids to the Brain.- Summary and Discussion-Report of Chapter I.- II. Uptake, Compartmentation and Utilization of Brain Amino Acids.- Regulation of Amino Acid Transport at the Blood-Brain Barrier.- Enzymes of the Cerebrovascular Endothelium: Possible Relevance to the Interpretation of Precursor-Loading Experiments.- Dynamics of the Cellular and Extracellular Compartment of Brain Amino Acids- Visions and Reality of the Dialysis Approach.- Glial Cells as Metabolic Regulators of Neurons.- Uptake and Release of Amino Acids from Synaptosomes.- Summary and Discussion-Report of Chapter II.- III. Influence of Altered Precursor Amino Acid Supply on Transmitter Metabolism and Brain Function.- Processes that Couple Amino Acid Availability to Neurotransmitter Synthesis and Release.- Tryptophan Availability and Serotonin Synthesis in Brain.- Disproportionate Amino Acid Diets and Anorexic Responses in Rats: The Role(s) of Limbic Brain Areas and Noradrenergic and Serotoninergic Systems.- Effects of Tryptophan Administration on the Synthesis, Storage and Metabolism of Serotonin in the Hypothalamus of Normal and Raphe-Stimulated Rats.- Amino Acid Availability and Control of Histaminergic Systemsin the Brain.- Summary and Discussion-Report of Chapter III.- IV. Influence of Altered Precursor Amino Acid Supply on Functional Neurotransmission.- The Relationship of the Synthesis and Metabolism of Catecholamines to Brain Function.- Precursor Availability and Function of Dopaminergic Neurons.- Modification of Synthesis, Release and Function of Catecholaminergic Systems by Phenylalanine.- Monoamines and Seizures in the Genetically Epilepsy-Prone Rats: Inferences from Precursor Availability.- Regulation of Neurotransmitter Amino Acid Fluxes by Excitatory Amino Acid Receptors in Different Neural Cell Types in Culture.- Summary and Discussion-Report of Chapter IV.- V. Influence of Altered Precursor Amino Acid Supply on Physiology and Behaviour.- Role of Amino Acids in Appetite Control in Man.- Amino Acids in the Regulation of Food Intake and Selection.- Control of Eating Behaviour by Amino Acid Supply.- Tryptophan Availability in Humans: Effects on Mood and Behaviour.- Dietary Manipulation of Serotonin and Behaviour.- Neuroendocrine Responses to Tryptophan as an Index of Brain Serotonin Function.- Stress, Amino Acids, and the Behavioural Effects of Drugs.- Behavioral and Cognitive Effects of Altered Tryptophan and Tyrosine Supply.- Summary and Discussion-Report of Chapter V.- VI. Amino Acid Availability and Brain Dysfunction.- Excitatory Amino Acids in Epilepsy and in Acute and Chronic Neuronal Degenerative Disorders.- Cerebral Capillary Amino Acid Uptake and Membrane Fluidity in Hepatic Encephalopathy.- Amino Acid Therapy in Neurological Disease.- Tryptophan and Tyrosine Ratios to Neutral Amino Acids in Depressed Patients in Regard to Km: Relation to Effecacy of Antidepressant Treatments.- Serine Metabolism, beta-Carbolines and Psychoses.- Brain Monoamine Oxidase B Activity and Amino Acid Precursor Treatment of Parkinson's Disease, Depression and Epilepsy.- Summary and Discussion-Report of Chapter VI.- VII. Amino Acid Availability and Brain Development.- Developmental Changes in Cerebral Amino Acids and Protein Metabolism.- Blood-Brain Amino Acid Transport During Development.- Nutrition and Selective Accumulation Processes Establish the Free Amino Acid Pool of Developing Chick Embryo Brain.- Consequences of Experimental Modulations of Amino Acid Availability During Brain Development.- Neurotransmitters and Early Embryogenesis.- Role of Excitatory Amino Acids in the Development of Cerebellar Granule Neurones.- Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid as a Neurotrophic Agent.- Role of Taurine in Brain Development and Vision.- Summary and Discussion-Report of Chapter VII.