Note: Intro -- Preface: Rita Levi-Montalcini -- Contents -- Part I: Basic Science -- Chapter 1: Nerve Growth Factor: The First Molecule of the Neurotrophin Family -- 1.1 Introduction -- 1.2 NGF and proNGF: Who Is Doing What? -- 1.3 TrkA- and p75NTR-Mediated Intracellular Pathways -- 1.4 NGF Target Cells -- References -- Chapter 2: The First and Last Time I Met Rita Levi-Montalcini: From the Insect Neurotrophic Factor to the Nerve Growth Factor ... -- 2.1 Introduction -- 2.2 How I Met Rita Levi-Montalcini -- 2.3 Flight to St. Louis, MO, USA -- 2.4 In 1972 RLM Decided to Organize Her Return in Rome -- 2.5 NGF and the Central Nervous System -- 2.6 Studies on NGF and Clinical Potentiality -- 2.7 NGF and Human Corneal Neurotrophic Ulcer -- 2.8 NGF and Glaucoma -- 2.9 NGF and Macular Degeneration -- 2.10 NGF and Cutaneous Wounds -- 2.11 Concluding Remarks -- References -- Chapter 3: NGF Signaling in Endosomes -- 3.1 Retrograde NGF Signaling Through Endosomes -- 3.2 Endocytosis of Neurotrophin-Receptor Complexes in Growth Cones -- 3.3 Retrograde Axonal Transport of Signaling Endosomes -- 3.4 Biological Functions of Retrograde Signaling Endosomes -- 3.5 Generality of Retrograde Signaling Through Endosomes -- 3.6 Conclusions -- References -- Chapter 4: The NGF Metabolic Pathway: New Opportunities for Biomarker Research and Drug Target Discovery -- 4.1 Introduction -- 4.2 Targeting the Cholinergic System in AD: The Value of Symptomatic Treatments -- 4.3 NGF Dysmetabolism and the Degeneration of the Cholinergic System in AD: A Self-Propagating Feedback Loop? -- 4.4 The NGF Pathway as a Platform for the Search of New Biomarkers -- 4.5 Tracking NGF Metabolism in AD Biofluids -- 4.5.1 ProNGF -- 4.5.2 tPA and Neuroserpin -- 4.5.3 Matrix Metalloproteinase-3 and Metalloproteinase-9 -- 4.5.4 Correspondence Between NGF Metabolism in Biofluids and the CNS. , 4.6 Diagnostic Value of NGF Pathway Biomarkers -- 4.7 NGF as a Therapeutic Target in AD -- 4.8 Targeting NGF Metabolism -- 4.8.1 Restoring Normal Conversion of proNGF to mNGF -- 4.8.2 Restoring Normal mNGF Degradation -- 4.9 Conclusion -- References -- Part II: Development and Regeneration -- Chapter 5: NGF and Endogenous Regeneration: From Embryology Toward Therapies -- 5.1 Introduction -- 5.2 NGF and Embryonic Development -- 5.3 NGF and Epithelial Wound Healing -- 5.4 NGF and Axonal Regrowth -- 5.5 NGF and Remyelination -- References -- Chapter 6: The Versatile Roles of Nerve Growth Factor in Neuronal Attraction, Odontoblast Differentiation, and Mineral Deposit... -- 6.1 Introduction -- 6.2 Materials and Methods -- 6.2.1 Materials -- 6.2.2 Embryonic Human Tissues -- 6.2.3 Adult Human Tissues -- 6.2.4 Cultures of Human Dental Pulp Cells -- 6.2.5 Immunohistochemistry -- 6.2.6 Preparation of Microfluidic Devices -- 6.2.7 Embryonic Mouse Tissues -- 6.2.8 Co-culture of Trigeminal Ganglia and Human Dental Pulp Cells -- 6.3 Results -- 6.3.1 NGF Distribution in Odontoblasts of Human Embryonic Teeth -- 6.3.2 NGF and p75NTR Expression in Intact Functional Human Teeth -- 6.3.3 NGF Distribution in Functional Human Teeth After Cavity Preparation -- 6.3.4 NGF Expression in Human Dental Pulp Cells In Vitro -- 6.3.5 Co-culture of Trigeminal Ganglia and Human Dental Pulp Cells in Microfluidic Devices -- 6.4 Discussion -- References -- Chapter 7: An Overview of Adult Neurogenesis -- 7.1 Adult Neurogenesis: An Historical Perspective -- 7.2 The Doubts Behind Adult Human Neurogenesis -- 7.3 Neural Stem Cells -- 7.4 Adult Neurogenic Niches -- 7.5 The Subventricular Zone (SVZ) Neurogenic Niche -- 7.6 The Subgranular Zone (SGZ) Neurogenic Niche -- 7.7 Conclusion -- References. , Chapter 8: Intervention of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor and Other Neurotrophins in Adult Neurogenesis -- 8.1 Neurotrophins -- 8.2 Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) -- 8.3 Neurotrophin Receptors -- 8.4 BDNF Role in Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis -- 8.5 Role of Environmental Factors on BDNF and Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis -- 8.6 BDNF Role in SVZ-Derived Neurogenesis -- 8.7 Regulation of Adult Neurogenesis by NGF -- 8.8 Regulation of Adult Neurogenesis by NT-3 -- 8.9 Regulation of Adult Neurogenesis by NT-4 -- 8.10 Conclusion -- References -- Part III: Alzheimer and Central Nervous System -- Chapter 9: Rita Levi-Montalcini, NGF Metabolism in Health and in the Alzheimer´s Pathology -- 9.1 Preface -- 9.2 What I Knew About Rita During My Early Immersion in the Neurosciences -- 9.3 My Encounters with Rita -- 9.4 My First Interest in Neural Repair Leading to NGF Research -- 9.5 NGF Functions in the Adult Central Nervous System and Reparative Properties for Basal Forebrain Cholinergic Neurons -- 9.6 A Novel NGF Metabolic Pathway -- 9.6.1 The Background -- 9.6.2 The Discovery of the NGF Metabolic Pathway -- 9.7 The Deregulation of the NGF Metabolic Pathway in Alzheimer´s Disease and in Down Syndrome -- 9.8 The NGF Metabolic Pathway in Health and Disease and Future Challenges -- References -- Chapter 10: NGF and the Amyloid Precursor Protein in Alzheimer´s Disease: From Molecular Players to Neuronal Circuits -- 10.1 Alzheimer´s Disease Pathology -- 10.2 Past and Current Aetiopathological Hypotheses in Sporadic Alzheimer´s Disease (SAD) -- 10.3 BFCNs´ Vulnerability in AD Target Circuits -- 10.4 APP and NGF Interplay -- 10.4.1 APP Control of the NGF Receptor Trafficking and Signalling -- 10.4.2 Bad and Good Interactions of APP with NGF Receptors -- 10.4.3 NGF Regulates APP Trafficking and Processing in BFCNs. , 10.5 BFCN Insulin Resistance as a Risk Factor for AD. Improvement by NGF -- 10.6 Interplay Between MicroRNAs, APP, and NGF in Alzheimer´s Disease -- 10.7 Conclusions -- References -- Chapter 11: A Review of Techniques for Biodelivery of Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) to the Brain in Relation to Alzheimer´s Disease -- 11.1 Introduction and Background -- 11.2 Different Methods of NGF Delivery -- 11.2.1 Intracerebroventricular Delivery (ICVD) -- 11.2.2 Intracerebral Delivery -- 11.2.2.1 Implantation of Tissue Grafts -- 11.2.2.2 Intracerebral Infusion -- 11.2.2.3 Stem Cell Mediated -- 11.2.2.4 Gene Therapy -- 11.2.2.5 Encapsulated Biodelivery -- 11.2.3 Peripheral Delivery -- 11.2.3.1 Intranasal and Intraocular Delivery -- 11.2.3.2 Parenteral Delivery -- 11.3 Conclusion and Future Developments -- References -- Chapter 12: NGF Released from Blood Cells or Collagen Hydrogels as a Therapeutic Target in Alzheimer´s Disease? -- 12.1 Introduction -- 12.1.1 Pathology of Alzheimer´s Disease -- 12.1.2 NGF and the Cholinergic Neurons in Alzheimer´s Disease -- 12.1.3 Delivery of Therapeutics into the Brain -- 12.2 Blood Cell-Derived Therapeutics -- 12.2.1 Monocytes in the AD Brain -- 12.2.2 Platelets in the AD Brain -- 12.3 Collagen Hydrogels as Therapeutics -- 12.3.1 Collagen Hydrogels in Brain Repair -- 12.3.2 NGF Released from Collagen Hydrogels -- 12.4 Outlook and Hope -- 12.5 Conclusion -- References -- Part IV: Complex Behaviors -- Chapter 13: When Nerve Growth Factor Met Behavior -- 13.1 Introduction -- 13.2 Early Phases of Development: The Mother-Pups Interaction -- 13.3 Social Milieu and NGF Release -- 13.4 Adrenal Pathway -- 13.5 The Most Famous Sibling: The Brain-Derived Neurotrophic (BDNF) Factor -- 13.6 Conclusion -- References -- Chapter 14: Cross Talk of BDNF and GDNF in Spinal Substantia Gelatinosa (Lamina II): Focus on Circuitry -- 14.1 Introduction. , 14.1.1 BDNF and Its Receptors -- 14.1.2 GDNF and Its Receptors -- 14.2 General Features of the Substantia Gelatinosa -- 14.2.1 Neurons of the Substantia Gelatinosa -- 14.3 Nociceptive Circuits in Substantia Gelatinosa -- 14.3.1 Spinal Somatic Nociceptive Circuits -- 14.3.2 Localization of BDNF and Its Preferred Receptor TrkB in DRGs and Dorsal Horn of the Spinal Cord -- 14.3.3 Localization of GDNF and GFRα1/Ret in DRGs and the Dorsal Horn of the Spinal Cord -- 14.3.4 Role of BDNF and GDNF in Nociception -- 14.4 BDNF and GDNF Circuits in the Substantia Gelatinosa -- 14.4.1 BDNF and the Excitatory Path -- 14.4.2 GDNF and the Inhibitory Path -- 14.4.3 Cross Talk Between BDNF and GDNF in Nociceptive Pathways -- 14.5 Concluding Remarks -- References -- Part V: Clinical Medicine -- Chapter 15: BDNF Gene as a Precision Skill of Obesity Management -- 15.1 Introduction -- 15.2 Implication of the BDNF in Obesity and Eating Disorders -- 15.2.1 Role of BDNF in Energy Homeostasis and Food Intake -- 15.2.2 Participation of BDNF on Metabolism -- 15.2.3 Genetic Alterations in the Genes Encoding BDNF or Its High-Affinity Receptor TrkB (Tropomyosin-Related Kinase B) -- 15.2.4 Epigenetic Programming of BDNF -- 15.2.5 BDNF and Hedonic Eating -- 15.2.6 BDNF as a Mediator in the Effects of Exercise and Food Intake on Neuroplasticity and the Vulnerability of the Brain and... -- 15.3 SNPs of the BDNF Associated with the Obesity -- 15.3.1 rs10501087 -- 15.3.2 rs10767664 -- 15.3.3 rs11030104 -- 15.3.4 rs16917237 -- 15.3.5 rs2030323 -- 15.3.6 rs6265 (Val66Met) -- 15.3.7 rs925946 -- 15.4 Precision Nutrition for Personalizing Nutritional Recommendations -- 15.5 Conclusion and Future Perspectives -- References -- Chapter 16: The Science of Love: State of the Art -- 16.1 Introduction -- 16.1.1 The First Step of Love: Attraction -- 16.1.2 Romantic Attachment -- 16.2 Conclusions. , References.