This volume, by a clinical neurologist and a neurochemist, provides an up-to-date review of current knowledge concerning fluid and electrolytes in the nervous system. This work cuts across several subspecialties and, therefore, may appeal to a variety of individuals: physiologists, chemists, and clinical neurologists and neurosurgeons.
The first half of the book is devoted to basic concepts and data. The current knowledge of blood-brain barrier and cerebrospinal fluid physiology is presented in detail, followed by several chapters dealing with electrolytes in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), in the brain substance, and within the cells. Each ion is treated separately as far as possible, and the relations between the ions are then presented. The electrophysiological implications of the ion concentrations and movements are reviewed extensively.
The second half is concerned primarily with clinical matters based on the preceding fundamental knowledge. An excellent chapter deals with acid-base balance of the CSF. The chapters