Nonlinear Dynamics in Physiology and Medicine (Interdisciplinary Applied Mathematics, 25) - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0387004491 ISBN 13: 9780387004495

Publisher: Springer, 2003

Synopsis

Je tiens impossible de connaître les parties sans connaître le tout, non plus que de connaître le tout sans connaître particulierement les parties -Pascal The eterna[ mystery of the world is its comprehensibility -Einstein This book deals with the application of mathematical tools to the study of physiological systems. It is directed toward an audience of physiologists, physicians, physicists, kinesiologists, psychologists, engineers, mathemati­ cians, and others interested in finding out more about the complexities and subtleties of rhythmic physiological processes from a theoretical per­ spective. We have attempted to give a broad view of the underlying notions behind the dynamics of physiological rhythms, sometimes from a theoretical perspective and sometimes from the perspective of the experimentalist. This book can be used in a variety of ways, ranging from a more tra­ ditional approach such as a textbook in a biomathematics course (at either the advanced undergraduate or graduatelevel) to a research re­ source in which someone interested in a particular problem might look at the corresponding discussion here to guide their own thinking. We hope that researchers at all levels will find inspiration from the way we have dealt with particular research problems to tackle completely new areas of investigation, or even approach these in totally new ways.

About this title

From the Back Cover

This book deals with the application of mathematics in modeling and understanding physiological systems, especially those involving rhythms. It is divided roughly into two sections. In the first part of the book, the authors introduce ideas and techniques from nonlinear dynamics that are relevant to the analysis of biological rhythms. The second part consists of five in-depth case studies in which the authors use the theoretical tools developed earlier to investigate a number of physiological processes: the dynamics of excitable nerve and cardiac tissue, resetting and entrainment of biological oscillators, the effects of noise and time delay on the pupil light reflex, pathologies associated with blood cell replication, and Parkinsonian tremor. One novel feature of the book is the inclusion of classroom-tested computer exercises throughout, designed to form a bridge between the mathematical theory and physiological experiments.

This book will be of interest to studentsand researchers in the natural and physical sciences wanting to learn about the complexities and subtleties of physiological systems from a mathematical perspective.

The authors are members of the Centre for Nonlinear Dynamics in Physiology and Medicine. The material in this book was developed for use in courses and was presented in three Summer Schools run by the authors in Montreal.

Edition details

• Publisher: Springer
• Publication date: 2003
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0387004491
• ISBN 13: 9780387004495
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 462
• Editor: Beuter Anne, Glass Leon, Mackey Michael C., Titcombe Michele S.