The Gliocentric Brain

Wolfgang Walz is Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry at the University of Saskatchewan, Canada. His PhD thesis at the Universität Konstanz described for the first time a neurotransmitter modulation of glial ion channels. He had an active laboratory focusing on glial cell function with uninterrupted external funding for over three decades. He currently resides in Victoria, Vancouver Island, and continues to engage in scholarly activities including series editor for Neuromethods published by Springer Nature. 

1. Introduction.- 2. The Brain as an Organ.- 3. Life Cycle.- 4. Reactive Microglia and Astrocyte Phenotype Transitions. 5. Transition of Microglia to Reactive States.- 6. Reactive Astrocytes.- 7. Neuroinflammation.- 8. The Brain and the Immune System.- 9. Viral and Bacterial Infections.- 10. Autoimmune Reactions.- 11. Adult Glial Cell Proliferation and Neurogenesis.- 12. Glioma.- 13. Neurodegenerative Disorders.- 14. Vascular Diseases.- 15. Seizures.- 16. Traumatic Brain Injury.- 17. Major Psychiatric Disorders.- 18. Glia in Recovery Processes and Repair.- 19. Glial Phenotype Plasticity.