Book reviews

Multiple sclerosis therapeutics, 4th edition, J.A. Cohen, R.A. Rudick(Eds.), Cambridge University Press, New York NY (2011),ISBN: 0521766273, $199.00 US

This is the latest edition of what is rapidly becoming the standardreference on the therapy of multiple sclerosis. The scope of the bookhas broadened considerably. It covers a number of aspects of thedisease, in a logical order and thorough manner. The editors andauthors are experts with considerable experience in the evaluationand management of MS patients. Most have been involved in theconception, design and execution of MS clinical trials. The book isclearly and thoroughly written.

The book begins with an introductory section with chapters onsome basic aspects followed by the pathology, immunology, geneticsand epidemiology of the disease. This is followed by a section onclinical trial methodology, in which methods of measuring diseaseburden and activity, especially cognitive testing and advancedimaging, are discussed. Separate chapters on how to choose end-points, how to interpret trial results, how tomeasure long term effectsand how the drug approval process works help round out thediscussion. In the third section, the results of clinical trials of variousagents and methodologies are reviewed. This section includes notonly the conventional, approved medications such as the interferons,glatiramer acetate, fingolimod, mitoxantrone and corticosteroids, butalso agents well along in the pipeline, such as laquinimod,dimethylfumarate, teriflunomide, and alemtuzumab. There are alsochapters devoted to particular strategies rather than single agents.These include T cell and B cell depletion, plasma exchange, stem celltherapies, possible therapies based on the observation that pregnancyis a strong suppressor of MS disease activity, and the issue ofneuroprotection. Controversies are not avoided and there is a chapterdiscussing chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency. The finalsection concerns the application of the data to the treatment ofthe disease in the clinic. This section is organized by disease types,such as relapsing–remitting or primary progressive or pediatric orneuromyelitis optica, by treatment of symptoms such as spasticity,fatigue, pain, bladder–bowel function and depression.

This is a very comprehensive, clearly written book that weavesbasic and clinical science with the very practical issues that we face inthe clinic. It shares with other textbooks potential obsolescence, butmany of the basic principles are established and the book is a valuablereference. It belongs on the bookshelf of every departmental libraryand with the neurologist who treats MS patients.

Alex TselisDepartment of Neurology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA

E-mail address: atselis@med.wayne.edu.

doi:10.1016/j.jns.2012.08.012

The New Executive Brain: Frontal Lobes in a Complex World,Elkhonon Goldberg, Oxford University Press, ISBN: 978-0-19-532940-7, 334 pages, $19.95

In his latest book The New Executive Brain: Frontal Lobes in aComplex World Elkhonon Goldberg expands upon his earlier accountof the frontal lobes, The Executive Brain, to reflect recent discoverieswithin cognitive neuroscience. Goldberg could not hope to provide acomplete account of the frontal lobes in one book, nor does he try. Ashe professes in the introduction, the book “does not represent anencyclopedic, textbook like account of the frontal lobes. Rather, it is anidiosyncratic account of my own understanding of several centralissues in cognitive science […]”. Goldberg uses his own experiences,both personal and professional, to guide a discussion of key findingsand issues within the study of the frontal lobes and cognitiveneuroscience as a whole. This discussion contains theoretical argu-ments, summaries of numerous studies, and, later on, case reports ofpatients with abnormal frontal lobe functioning.

The New Executive Brain is a compelling, thought-provoking read.Goldberg scrutinizes research according to the principles of thephilosophy of science. By grounding researchwithin a foundation thatallows for the evaluation and critique of its findings, Goldbergpresents a clear analysis of the current progress within cognitivescience as well as generates a rough blueprint of promising futuredirections. Furthermore, Goldberg demonstrates how the frontallobes relate to broader issues within society. While provocative, thesereflections make the book interesting to the general reader. Finally,the accounts of people that Goldberg has encountered both personallyand professionally add color to the work. Of particular interest are thehighly personal accounts of various patients with abnormal frontallobe functioning due to neurological conditions.

Although many of Goldberg's meditations are illuminating, thetext can at times become rambling and idiosyncratic. An unavoidableby-product of building the book upon his own personal experience isthat the content is largely what has caught his interest during hisprofessional life. He does not address many topics that may be ofinterest to readers, such as the implications of localizing executivefunction in the frontal lobes on the question of freewill. Furthermore,there appear to be some inaccuracies in the book. For example,Goldberg supports his contention that self-recognition depends onthe frontal lobes with the fact that only great apes pass the mirror-test, meaning they appear to recognize a mirror reflection ofthemselves. However, this overlooks studies showing that otheranimals have passed the mirror test, including the magpie, whichdoes not possess frontal lobes [1]. Finally, the book is filled withanecdotes, which while interesting to some may become tedious forothers.

To conclude, Goldberg offers an expansive, idiosyncratic account ofthe frontal lobes. In this account Goldberg addresses several key factorsin cognitive neuroscience, at times offering original and thought-provoking arguments and ideas as well as interesting stories andinsights from his research and practice. Goldberg's anecdotes and

Journal of the Neurological Sciences 323 (2012) 268–270

Contents lists available at ScienceDirect

Journal of the Neurological Sciences

j ourna l homepage: www.e lsev ie r.com/ locate / jns

provocative speculations make the book an interesting read for thecasual reader interested in learning more about the frontal lobes butless than ideal for anyone searching for an objective, structuredaccount.

Disclaimer

The opinions or assertions contained herein are the privateviews of the author and are not to be construed as official or reflectingthe views of the Department of the Navy or the Department ofDefense.

Reference

[1] Prior H, Schwarz A, Gunturkun O. Mirror-induced behavior in the magpie (Pica pica):evidence of self-recognition. PLoS Biol 2008;6(8):e202 doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.0060202.

Sarah Griffin⁎Jack W. Tsao

Department of Neurology, Uniformed Services University of the HealthServices, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Room A 1036, Bethesda, MD,

20814-4799, USA⁎Corresponding author. Tel.: +1 301 295 8920.

E-mail address: sarah.griffin@med.navy.mil (S. Griffin).

doi:10.1016/j.jns.2012.08.017

Dementia: A Global Approach, Ennapadam S. Krishnamoorthy,Martin J. Prince, Jeffery L. Cummings (Eds.), Cambridge UniversityPress, 2010, 212 pp., $109.00, ISBN: 978-0-521-85776-5

Dementia:AGlobalApproach, editedbyEnnapadamS.Krishnamoorthy,Martin J. Prince and Jeffery L. Cummings, discusses the nature andimpact of dementia on an international level. Primarily composedwith the help of neuropsychiatrists from the Unites States, India, theUnited Kingdom and other nations around theworld, this book offersa universal perspective on dementia via cultural, geographic andsocioeconomic perspectives. The editors incorporate various examplesof cultural beliefs and traditions, such as those prevalent in Asiancommunities, and the impact these customs have on the localperception of the disease as well as the ability to address it. Varyingdegrees of limitations based on geographic and socioeconomic statusare also discussed.

The book is separated into 11 chapters, each addressing a differentaspect of dementia including mild cognitive impairment, vascularcauses of cognitive impairment, possible link between infections anddementia, assessment methods and care arrangements specific tocertain geographic regions. Furthermore, certain chapters are dividedinto sub-chapters to address heavily specialized subjects. A differentcontributing author writes each chapter. While this organizationprovides input from an expert in each specialized area, the inter-changingvoice andwriting styles impairs a reader fromestablishing anysort of flow as he or she goes from chapter to chapter. Likewise, eachchapter lacks an effective introduction to the subject discussed withinthe chapter, making it easy for a reader without a specializedbackground to become lost.

The book's universal approach offers comprehensive contextualinformation on dementia, befitting individuals looking to furtherexpand their knowledge of the disease. Overall this book is gearedtowards a professional audience, specifically healthcare professionalsinvolved in geriatric care such as primary care providers, neurologistsand psychiatrists.

Disclaimer

The opinions or assertions contained herein are the private viewsof the authors and are not to be construed as official or reflecting theviews of the Department of the Navy or the Department of Defense.

Mikias Wolde⁎Jack W. Tsao

Department of Neurology,Uniformed Services University of the Health Services,

4301 Jones Bridge Road, Room A 1036, Bethesda, MD 20814-4799, USA⁎Corresponding author. Tel.: +1 301 385 9184.

E-mail address: w.mikias@gmail.com (M. Wolde).

doi:10.1016/j.jns.2012.08.025

The Mouse Nervous System, In: Charles Watson, George Paxinos,Luis Puelles, editors, Academic Press, ISBN: 978-0-12-369497-3,p. 814, $203.81

A mouse may appear insignificant due to its small size, but itscomplex nervous system has played a significant role in neurosciencestudies. Such a system is intricate enough for a book, the thicknessof 4 adult mice lying on top of one another, to be written about it.There were three main reasons for such a book: it would serve asan introductory guide to neuroscience for molecular biologists,provide insight on the new discoveries of gene expression, andhighlight that mice are unique as compared to the more commonlystudied rats. The Mouse Nervous System, edited by Charles Watson,George Paxinos, and Luis Puelles, does just that by thoroughlyventuring through the crevices of the central nervous system of themouse.

To the general public, the mouse brain may appear to be a simplechunk ofmass, but neurologists and anatomistswould beg to differ. Thisbook, having been composed by professionals in the fields of neurologyand anatomy, shows how complicated the mouse brain actually is. Ofthe 33 chapters devoted to the anatomy of the mouse brain, the firstthree are about its stages of development. These earlier chapters alsoinclude past experiments which provide support for the facts aboutdevelopment. For more than half of the book, from chapter four untilchapter fifteen, the structure of the brain is presented as a whole andthen as individual parts. Thus, the text and real life anatomyfigures bothserve as dissections of the mouse brain. Furthermore, images through-out the book are useful and relevant not only to those who learn fromviewing pictures but also serve as supplemental information for thosewho learn from reading text.

After introducing the reader to the fundamentals of the mousebrain, the systems and their respective functions are presented inchapters 16 through 27. With most important information alreadyprovided in the first half of the book, these later chapters serve toassist the reader in connecting the dots on how all those structuresfunction together. In addition to providing background knowledgeabout the nervous system of the mouse, this book is also user-friendlybecause a table of contents that is chapter-specific is present at thebeginning of each respective chapter. The helpfulness continues atthe conclusion of chapters where a list of references is presented sothe reader can read more about an intriguing subject. Perhaps themost unique feature of this book is the abbreviations list which islocated near the end of certain chapters. This list is beneficial to boththe writers and readers; the writers can provide the intendeddefinitions which will lessen the likelihood that the reader searchesand finds an inaccurate abbreviation.

269Book reviews