Book Description:
This new book is devoted to new research on epinephrine (INN) sometimes spelled "epinephrin" or "adrenalin" respectively, which is a hormone when carried in the blood and a neurotransmitter when it is released across a neuronal synapse. It is a catecholamine, a sympathomimetic monoamine derived from the amino acids phenylalanine and tyrosine.When secreted into the bloodstream, it rapidly prepares the body for action in emergency situations. The hormone boosts the supply of oxygen and glucose to the brain and muscles, while suppressing other non-emergency bodily processes (digestion in particular).
It increases heart rate and stroke volume, dilates the pupils, and constricts arterioles in the skin and gut while dilating arterioles in skeletal muscles. It elevates the blood sugar level by increasing catalysis of glycogen to glucose in the liver, and at the same time begins the breakdown of lipids in fat cells. Like some other stress hormones, epinephrine has a suppressive effect on the immune system.
Although epinephrine does not have any psychoactive effects, stress or arousal also releases norepinephrine in the brain. Norepinephrine has similar actions in the body, but is also psychoactive.
Epinephrine is used as a drug to treat cardiac arrest and other cardiac dysrhythmias resulting in diminished or absent cardiac output; its action is to increase peripheral resistance via á±­adrenoceptor vasoconstriction, so that blood is shunted to the body's core, and the â±­adrenoceptor response which is increased cardiac rate and output (the speed and pronouncement of heart beats). This beneficial action comes with a significant negative consequence?increased cardiac irritability?which may lead to additional complications immediately following an otherwise successful resuscitation. Alternatives to this treatment include vasopressin, a powerful antidiuretic which also increases peripheral vascular resistance leading to blood shunting via vasoconstriction, but without the attendant increase in myocardial irritability.

Table of Contents:
Preface

Short Communications

Communication A - Effectiveness of Out-of-Hospital Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation with Resuscitative Drugs Such as Epinephrine; pp. 1-11
(Kenji Ohshige, Department of Public Health, Yokohama City University School of Medicine, Japan)

Communication B - Up-to-Date on Ibopamine, a New Alpha-Adrenergic and D1 Dopaminergic Drug; pp. 13-23
(Italo Giuffre, Lecturer in Ophthalmology, Medical School, University of Roma ?Tor Vergata?, Roma, Italy)

Research and Review Studies

Chapter I - Intact Environmental Habituation and Epinephrine-Induced Enhancement of Memory Consolidation for a Novel Object Recognition Task in Pre-Weanling Sprague-Dawley Rats; pp. 25-41
(Robert W. Flint, Shelby Hickey, Maryann Dobrowolski, The College of Saint Rose, Albany, NY)

Chapter II - Epinephrine Overview in the Heart; pp. 43-58
(Mitsuhiro Isaka, Pediatric Cardiac Surgery, Arkansas Children?s Hospital, Arkansas)

Chapter III - Epinephrine and Its Potential Novel Usage in Surgery; pp. 59-71
(Ercan Karacaoglu, Yeditepe University, School of Medicine, Department of Plastic Surgery, Istanbul, Turkey, Richard J. Zienowicz, Brown University, School of Medicine, Div of Plastic Surgery, Providence, Rhode Island, USA)

Chapter IV - Platelets and Epinephrine; pp. 73-94
(Andreas C. Eriksson and Per A. Whiss, Link?g University, Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Division of Pharmacology, Link?g, Sweden)

Chapter V - Does Epinephrine Cause Hypertension?- Epinephrine Hypothesis?; pp. 95-114
(Kazuko Masuo, Human Neurotransmitter Laboratory, Baker Heart Research Institute, Australia, Gavin W. Lambert, Murray D. Esler)

Chapter VI - Pontine and Cerebellar Differential Norepinephrinergic Response after Cortical Ablation and Fe2Cl-induced Cortical Injury; pp. 115-127
(Rigoberto Gonzalez-Pina, Paloma DelaGarza-Montano, Laboratorio de Neuroplasticidad, Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitacion, SSA, Alfonso Alfaro-Rodriguez, Laboratorio de Neuroquimica, Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitacion, SSA)

Chapter VII - Differential Epinephrine and Norepinephrine Release from the Sympathectomized Rat Heart Compartments; pp. 129-146
(Jitka KuncovᬠJitka ?ví§¬erovᬠ?Ძa FaitovᬠJan Capouch, Jana Slaví«¯vᬠDepartment of Physiology, Medical School Plzeò¬ ƒharles University, Czech Republic)

Index