The latest edition of Dr Menkes' classic book is an up-to-date and comprehensive text that has incorporated recent information on a variety of topics.
Disorders that have been recognized only in the past few years, such as Rett's syndrome and systemic carnitine deficiency, are included. The chapter on neurological manifestations of systemic disease is an important addition. It contains a discussion of long-term neurological complications associated with treatment of childhood leukemia, a topic that is most enlightening given the improved prognosis for survival. Similarly, in the section on tumors of the nervous system, there is a discussion of immediate and long-term effects of radiation therapy, an increasingly common area of concern as brain tumor therapy becomes more sophisticated and aggressive.
The section on metabolic disorders is thorough and well written. Dr Menkes has made a complex topic easily understandable. The only minor disappointment is the lack of discussion about treatment