A comprehensive review of the scientific literature on the possible benefits of CBD, describing findings from both preclinical and human clinical studies.CBD (cannabidiol), a nonintoxicating compound derived from the cannabis plant, can be found in products ranging from lotion and smoothies to chewable gummies and pet treats. It’s been promoted—but not always scientifically validated—as a treatment for medical conditions including psychosis, anxiety, pain, and even...

This volume consists of a selection of the Albert Einstein Memorial Lectures presented annually at the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities. Delivered by eminent scientists and scholars, including Nobel laureates, they cover a broad spectrum of subjects in physics, chemistry, life science, mathematics, historiography and social issues.This distinguished memorial lecture series was inaugurated by the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities following an international symposium held in...

A review of the scientific evidence on the effects of cannabinoids on brain and behavioral functioning, with an emphasis on potential therapeutic use.The cannabis plant has been used for recreational and medicinal purposes for more than 4,000 years, but the scientific investigation into its effects has only recently yielded useful results. In this book, Linda Parker offers a review of the scientific evidence on the effects of cannabinoids on brain and behavioral fu...

Parkinson's disease is the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disease and is characterized by the irreversible loss of dopamine neurons. Despite its high prevalence in society and many decades of research, the origin of the pathogenesis and the molecular determinants involved in the disorder has remained elusive. Confounding this issue is the lack of experimental models that completely recapitulate the disease state. The identification of a number of genes thought to play a role in th...

It's no surprise that marijuana has healing powers, but whether or not using it to treat common ailments should be legalized continues to be a hot topic of debate among government leaders and medical practitioners alike. Marijuana comes from the cannabis plant, an herb whose leaves can be extracted and used as a recreational drug, allowing users to feel a euphoric high. But the cannabis plant has many non-psychoactive properties as well. Cannabidiol, also known as CBD is a substance extrac...

Handbook of the Biology of Aging, Seventh Edition, reviews and synthesizes recent findings and discoveries in the field. This volume is part of The Handbooks of Aging series, which also includes The Handbook of the Psychology of Aging and The Handbook of Aging and the Social Sciences. The book is organized into two parts. Part 1 covers basic aging processes. It covers concepts relevant to clinical research, such as muscle, adipose tissue, and stem cells. It discusses research on how dietar...

Consider the woven integrated complexity of a living cell after 3.8 billion years of evolution. Is it more awe-inspiring to suppose that a transcendent God fashioned the cell, or to consider that the living organism was created by the evolving biosphere? As the eminent complexity theorist Stuart Kauffman explains in this ambitious and groundbreaking new book, people who do not believe in God have largely lost their sense of the sacred and the deep human legitimacy of our inherited spiritua...

Seventy years ago, Erwin Schrödinger posed a profound question: 'What is life, and how did it emerge from non-life?' This problem has puzzled biologists and physical scientists ever since. Living things are hugely complex and have unique properties, such as self-maintenance and apparently purposeful behaviour which we do not see in inert matter. So how does chemistry give rise to biology? What could have led the first replicating molecules up such a path? Now, developments in the emerging ...

The laws of thermodynamics drive everything that happens in the universe. From the sudden expansion of a cloud of gas to the cooling of hot metal, and from the unfurling of a leaf to the course of life itself - everything is directed and constrained by four simple laws. They establish fundamental concepts such as temperature and heat, and reveal the arrow of time and even the nature of energy itself. Peter Atkins' powerful and compelling introduction explains what the laws are and how they...

Stahl's Illustrated Sleep and Wake Disorders is a concise and highly illustrated guide to the environmental, neurobiological and genetic factors that influence sleep and wakefulness, with evidence-based guidance for the accurate diagnosis and optimal treatment of various sleep/wake disorders. All of the titles in the Stahl's Illustrated series are designed to be fun. Concepts are illustrated by full-color images that will be familiar to all readers of Stahl's Essential Psychopharmacology a...

Derived from the National Parkinson Foundation's website column "Ask the Doctor" this book answers frequently asked questions about Parkinson's disease in depth. Useful for caregivers, family members, and individuals living with PD, Ask the Doctor About Parkinson's Disease informs, empowers, and reassures readers with solutions and advice to their most pressing concerns. No topic is too simple or too complex. Written by two of the most recognized experts in the field, Drs. Okun an...

The book gives a comprehensive introduction for interested general readers, into the development and structure of concepts, ideas and theory formation about the elementary building blocks of matter, the forces with which these particles interact and about the fundamental nature of space itself. Einsteins theory of the cosmos and the recent discovery of the presence of a dark energy which leads to an accelerated expansion of cosmic space, provide the background for the most astonishing rece...