From Anatomy to Function of the Central Nervous System

Dr Ascenzi received his Bachelor’s Degree in Techniques of Biomedical Laboratory and his Master’s Degree in Neurobiology (Medical Biotechnology) at School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”. Over the years he took part in several research project about neuromuscular diseases, such as Duchenne’s Muscular Dystrophy, at the Institute of Histology and Embryology of University of Rome “La Sapienza” and at the School of Sciences (MM.PH.NN) of “Tor Vergata” University. Since 2015 to middle 2016 he worked, at National Research Council “CNR”, to a project on the mechanism of maturation and secretion of Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) in a murine model of diabetic and Alzheimer-like encephalopathy. In 2017 he won the European PhD “Marie Curie” fellowship and he worked at the Centro de Biologia Molecular “Severo Ochoa” of Madrid in collaboration with University of Lund, Polytechnic University of Milan, Barcelona, Oslo, Munich and others. His fields of research interest mainly focus on the modulation of brain development through neurotransmitters and peptides in the field of neurodevelopmental diseases (ASD, ADHD). Recently he also started to participate at neurosurgical and radiological works. Currently he is majoring in Medicine, he is 33 years old and this is his first monography.

Section I: Development, topography and neurochemistry of the central nervous system
1. Development of the nervous system and human neural stem cells
2. Topography of neuraxis, vascularization and ventricular system
3. Neurochemistry of the central nervous system

Section II: Anatomy of the spinal cord and brain
4. The spinal cord
5a. Functional anatomy of the brainstem
5b. Functional anatomy of the reticular formation
6. The cerebellum
7. The diencephalon: introduction and epithalamus
8. The diencephalon: dorsal thalamus
9. The diencephalon: subthalamus or ventral thalamus
10. The diencephalon: hypothalamus
11. The telencephalon: introduction and cerebral cortex
12. The telencephalon: cingulate cortex
13. The telencephalon: hippocampus and related structures
14. The telencephalon: amygdala and claustrum
15. The telencephalon: basal ganglia
16. Circumventricular organs

Section III: Functional systems
17. General sensory systems and taste
18. The vestibular system
19. The auditory system
20. The visual system
21. Motor systems
22. The limbic system

Section IV: Appendix
23. The noradrenergic modulation of attention and memory: The Attentional Boost Effect.
24. Neuroanatomical and Neurophysiological Bases of the Anesthesia