Main description:

The following papers were presented at an international symposium on the mechanisms and treatment of nausea and vomiting in man held in Oxford in 1984. I believe that this meeting was the first occasion on which representatives from such a wide variety of scientific and clinical specialities had come together to review and debate the spectrum of the vomiting phenomenon. An attempt was made to put before an invited international audience all the pertinent facts on the different facets of the topic and then to encourage extensive discussion of the contentious issues. The first day of the meeting was devoted to the basic science ap proach to the problem and the second day to the more clinical aspects. This format has been broadly retained in the layout of the book, with the addition of summary chapters reviewing each day's contributions and focusing upon areas of particular importance. Acknowledgement must here be made to the enormous input from the many participants who either spoke in the debate or rose and themselves gave small presenta tions in addition to those of the invited speakers. The meeting occurred at a time of increasing interest in the problem of nausea and vomiting, especially because of its importance in cancer chemotherapy and radiation therapy, and even in space travel.

Contents:

The Multiple Causes of Vomiting: Is There a Common Mechanism?.- Section I. Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology.- Anatomy and Physiology of the Chemoreceptor Trigger Zone and Area Postrema.- Neurochemical Investigations into the Human Area Postrema.- The Central Nervous Connections Involved in the Vomiting Reflex.- Peripheral Nervous Pathways Involved in Nausea and Vomiting.- The Organisation of Vomiting as a Protective Reflex: A commentary on the first day's discussions.- Section II. Clinical Aspects.- Mechanisms and Treatment of Cytotoxic-Induced Nausea and Vomiting.- Mechanisms and Treatment of Radiation-Induced Nausea and Vomiting.- Mechanisms and Treatment of Motion Illness.- Mechanisms and Treatment of Post-Operative Nausea and Vomiting.- Mechanisms and Treatment of Nausea and Vomiting in Pregnancy.- A Neurologist's View of Nausea and Vomiting.- Rational Approaches to Therapy for Nausea and Vomiting: Two Common Solutions.- Clinical Discussions: An Overview.- Participants.