Catálogo de publicaciones

This book attempts to marry truth-conditional semantics with cognitive linguistics in the church of computational neuroscience. To this end, it examines the truth-conditional meanings of coordinators, quantifiers, and collective predicates as neurophysiological phenomena that are amenable to a neurocomputational analysis. Drawing inspiration from work on visual processing, and especially the simple/complex cell distinction in early vision (V1), we claim that a similar two-layer architecture is sufficient to learn the truth-conditional meanings of the logical coordinators and logical quantifiers.
As a prerequisite, much discussion is given over to what a neurologically plausible representation of the meanings of these items would look like. We eventually settle on a representation in terms of correlation, so that, for instance, the semantic input to the universal operators (e.g. and, all)is represented as maximally correlated, while the semantic input to the universal negative operators (e.g. nor, no)is represented as maximally anticorrelated. On the basis this representation, the hypothesis can be offered that the function of the logical operators is to extract an invariant feature from natural situations, that of degree of correlation between parts of the situation. This result sets up an elegant formal analogy to recent models of visual processing, which argue that the function of early vision is to reduce the redundancy inherent in natural images.
Computational simulations are designed in which the logical operators are learned by associating their phonological form with some degree of correlation in the inputs, so that the overall function of the system is as a simple kind of pattern recognition. Several learning rules are assayed, especially those of the Hebbian sort, which are the ones with the most neurological support. Learning vector quantization (LVQ) is shown to be a perspicuous and efficient means of learning the patterns that are of interest. We draw a formal parallelism between the initial, competitive layer of LVQ and the simple cell layer in V1, and between the final, linear layer of LVQ and the complex cell layer in V1, in that the initial layers are both selective, while the final layers both generalize.
It is also shown how the representations argued for can be used to draw the traditionally-recognized inferences arising from coordination and quantification, and why the inference of subalternacy breaks down for collective predicates.
Finally, the analogies between early vision and the logical operators allow us to advance the claim of cognitive linguistics that language is not processed by proprietary algorithms, but rather by algorithms that are general to the entire brain. Thus in the debate between objectivist and experiential metaphysics, this book falls squarely into the camp of the latter. Yet it does so by means of a rigorous formal, mathematical, and neurological exposition – in contradiction of the experiential claim that formal analysis has no place in the understanding of cognition. To make our own counter-claim as explicit as possible, we present a sketch of the LVQ structure in terms of mereotopology, in which the initial layer of the network performs topological operations, while the final layer performs mereological operations.
The book is meant to be self-contained, in the sense that it does not assume any prior knowledge of any of the many areas that are touched upon. It therefore contains mini-summaries of biological visual processing, especially the retinocortical and ventral /what?/ parvocellular pathways; computational models of neural signaling, and in particular the reduction of the Hodgkin-Huxley equations to the connectionist and integrate-and-fire neurons; Hebbian learning rules and the elaboration of learning vector quantization; the linguistic pathway in the left hemisphere; memory and the hippocampus; truth-conditional vs. image-schematic semantics; objectivist vs. experiential metaphysics; and mereotopology. All of the simulations are implemented in MATLAB, and the code is available from the book’s website.

· The discovery of several algorithmic similarities between visison and semantics.
· The support of all of this by means of simulations, and the packaging of all of this in a coherent theoretical framework.

Neuromuscular disorders are diagnosed across the lifespan and create many challenges especially with infants, children and adolescents. This new edition of the definitive reference, edited by the established world renowned authorities on the science, diagnosis and treatment of neuromuscular disorders in childhood is a timely and needed resource for all clinicians and researchers studying neuromuscular disorders, especially in childhood. The Second Edition is completely revised to remain current with advances in the field and to insure this remains the standard reference for clinical neurologists and clinical research neurologists. The Second Edition retains comprehensive coverage while shortening the total chapter count to be an even more manageable and effective reference.

• Carefully revised new edition of the classic reference on neuromuscular disorders in infancy, childhood and adolescence.
• Definitive coverage of the basic science of neuromuscular disease and the latest diagnosis and treatment best practices.
• Includes coverage of clinical phenomenology, electrophysiology, histopathology, molecular genetics and protein chemistry

Neuronal and Synaptic Dysfunction in Autism Spectrum Disorder and Intellectual Disability provides the latest information on Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), the lifelong neurodevelopmental disorders that present in early childhood and affect how individuals communicate and relate to others and their surroundings.

In addition, three quarters of ASD patients also manifest severe intellectual disability. Though certain genes have been implicated, ASDs remain largely a mystery, and research looking into causes and cellular deficits are crucial for better understanding of neurodevelopmental disorders.

Despite the prevalence and insidious nature of this disorder, this book remains to be an extensive resource of information and background on the state of current research in the field.

The book serves as a reference for this purpose, and discusses the crucial role synaptic activity plays in proper brain function. In addition, the volume discusses the neurodevelopmental synaptopathies and serves as a resource for scientists and clinicians in all biomedical science specialties. This research has been crucial for recent studies that have provided a rationale for the development of pharmacological agents able to counteract functional synaptic anomalies and potentially ameliorate some ASD symptoms.

• Introduces the genetic and non-genetic causes of autism and associated intellectual disabilities
• Describes the genes implicated in autistic spectrum disorders and their function
• Considers major individual genetic causes of autism, Rett syndrome, Fragile X syndrome, and other autism spectrum disorders, as well as their classification as synaptopathies
• Presents a thorough discussion of the clinical aspects of multiple neurodevelopmental disorders and the experimental models that exist to study their pathophysiology in vitro and in vivo, including animal models and patient-derived stem cell culture

Neuronal Networks in Brain Function, CNS Disorders, and Therapeutics, edited by two leaders in the field, offers a current and complete review of what we know about neural networks. How the brain accomplishes many of its more complex tasks can only be understood via study of neuronal network control and network interactions. Large networks can undergo major functional changes, resulting in substantially different brain function and affecting everything from learning to the potential for epilepsy.

With chapters authored by experts in each topic, this book advances the understanding of:

• How the brain carries out important tasks via networks
• How these networks interact in normal brain function
• Major mechanisms that control network function
• The interaction of the normal networks to produce more complex behaviors
• How brain disorders can result from abnormal interactions
• How therapy of disorders can be advanced through this network approach

This book will benefit neuroscience researchers and graduate students with an interest in networks, as well as clinicians in neuroscience, pharmacology, and psychiatry dealing with neurobiological disorders.

• Utilizes perspectives and tools from various neuroscience subdisciplines (cellular, systems, physiologic), making the volume broadly relevant
• Chapters explore normal network function and control mechanisms, with an eye to improving therapies for brain disorders
• Reflects predominant disciplinary shift from an anatomical to a functional perspective of the brain
• Edited work with chapters authored by leaders in the field around the globe – the broadest, most expert coverage available

Neuropathology of Drug Addictions and Substance Misuse, Volume 2: Stimulants, Club and Dissociative Drugs, Hallucinogens, Steroids, Inhalants and International Aspects is the second of three volumes in this informative series and offers a comprehensive examination of the adverse consequences of the most common drugs of abuse. Each volume serves to update the reader’s knowledge on the broader field of addiction as well as to deepen understanding of specific addictive substances. Volume 2 addresses stimulants, club and dissociative drugs, hallucinogens, and inhalants and solvents. Each section provides data on the general, molecular and cellular, and structural and functional neurological aspects of a given substance, with a focus on the adverse consequences of addictions.

Research shows that the neuropathological features of one addiction are often applicable to those of others, and understanding these commonalties provides a platform for studying specific addictions in more depth and may ultimately lead researchers toward new modes of understanding, causation, prevention, and treatment. However, marshalling data on the complex relationships between addictions is difficult due to the myriad material and substances.

• Offers a modern approach to understanding the pathology of substances of abuse, offering an evidence-based ethos for understanding the neurology of addictions
• Fills an existing gap in the literature by serving as a “one-stop-shopping” synopsis of everything to do with the neuropathology of drugs of addiction and substance misuse
• Includes in each chapter: list of abbreviations, abstract, introduction, applications to other addictions and substance misuse, mini-dictionary of terms, summary points, 6+ figures and tables, and full references
• Offers coverage of preclinical, clinical, and population studies, from the cell to whole organs, and from the genome to whole body

Neuropathology of Drug Addictions and Substance Misuse, Volume One: Foundations of Understanding, Tobacco, Alcohol, Cannabinoids, Opioids and Emerging Addictions provides the latest research in an area that  shows that the neuropathological features of one addiction are often applicable to those of others. The book also details how a further understanding of these commonalties can provide a platform for the study of specific addictions in greater depth, all in an effort to create new modes of understanding, causation, prevention, and treatment.

The three volumes in this series address new research and challenges, offering comprehensive coverage on the adverse consequences of the most common drugs of abuse, with each volume serving to update the reader’s knowledge on the broader field of addiction, while also deepening our understanding of specific addictive substances. Volume One addresses tobacco, alcohol, cannabinoids, and opioids, with each section providing data on the general, molecular/cellular, and structural/functional neurological aspects of a given substance, along with a focus on the adverse consequences of addictions.

• Provides a modern approach on the pathology of substances of abuse, offering an evidence based ethos for understanding the neurology of addictions
• Fills an existing gap in the literature by proving a one-stop-shopping synopsis of everything to do with the neuropathology of drugs of addiction and substance misuse
• Includes a list of abbreviations, abstracts, applications to other addictions and substance misuse, mini-dictionary of terms, summary points, 6+ figures and tables, and full references in each chapter
• Offers coverage of preclinical, clinical, and population studies, from the cell to whole organs, and the genome to whole body