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## Meet the editors

Prof. Francesco Signorelli is an Italian and French board-certified neurosurgeon. He was trained in neurosurgery at the University Hospital of Naples, Italy and was fellow in neurosurgery in London, Southampton, UK, and in Montreal, Canada. He spent 15 years working as a consultant neurosurgeon at the Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery in Lyon, France. He is currently professor and head of the Neurosurgical Division of the University

Hospital in Bari, Italy. His surgical practice and scientific activity cover the spectrum of neurosurgery, with more than 3000 interventions, more than 60 articles in peer-reviewed journals, and several books. His current major interests are vascular neurosurgery and brain and skull base tumors in adult and pediatric patients.

Dr. Raffaella Messina is an Italian board-certified neurosurgeon. She was trained in neurosurgery at the University Hospital in Bari, Italy and was fellow in pediatric neurosurgery in Rome, where she spent five years working as a consultant neurosurgeon at the IRCCS Institute for Treatment and Research – Bambino Gesu Children's Hospital. She is currently consultant neurosurgeon at the University Hospital in Bari, Italy. Her major field of

interest is pediatric neurosurgery, in which she has focused her main scientific activity. Dr. Messina had the opportunity to improve her surgical skills and to achieve board certification from the European Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery (ESPN), attending the three-year cycle of ESPN in Germany, Finland and Spain.

Contents

**Section 1**

**Section 2**

and Future Directions

and Schwannomatosis

Targeted Biologic Therapies

*by Donna Molaie and Phioanh Leia Nghiemphu*

*by Brian S. Potter and Leanne Mendoza*

*and Line Jacques*

**Section 3**

**Section 4**

**Preface III**

Introductory Section **1**

**Chapter 1 3**

and Schwannomatosis **7**

**Chapter 2 9**

Medical Treatment Options for Neurofibromatosis Type-2 **31**

**Chapter 3 33**

Cognitive Issues Experienced by Individuals Living with Neurofibromatosis **51**

**Chapter 4 53**

Cognitive Issues Experienced by Individuals Living with Neurofibromatosis

Introductory Chapter: Neurofibromatosis - Current Trends

Peripheral Nerve Tumors in Neurofibromatosis 1, Neurofibromatosis 2,

Peripheral Nerve Tumors in Neurofibromatosis 1, Neurofibromatosis 2,

*by Andrew S. Jack, Beata Durcanova, Zachary G. Wright, Vinil Shah* 

Neurofibromatosis Type 2: Current Trends and Future Directions for

*by Raffaella Messina and Francesco Signorelli*

### Contents



Preface

Neurosurgeons should have a fundamental knowledge of the scientific evidence derived from a multidisciplinary approach regarding genetic conditions such as Neurofibromatosis. Such knowledge can lead to a high level of expertise and properly guide patient management. This book was conceived as an example of the aforementioned integrated approach. Written by outstanding researchers and clinicians, this volume is designed for graduate students, researchers and practitioners interested in learning how knowledge from research can implement clinical competencies. It is hoped that it will stimulate interest in translating research on

I wish to thank all the authors for their excellent contributions. Without their enthusiastic participation this book would have not been possible. I also wish to thank to Mr. Gordan Tot, IntechOpen's publishing process manager, whose competence and kind patience in stimulating all participants, including myself and my co-editor Prof. Raffaella Messina, was invaluable in finalizing this book. I am especially grateful to my wife Vanessa and my daughter Alice for their understanding and support, allowing me to spend many extra hours working on this book.

 **Francesco Signorelli, MD, Msc**

University Hospital of Bari,

**Raffaella Messina, MD**

University Hospital of Bari,

Italy

Italy

Chairman and Professor of Neurosurgery,

Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery,

Neurofibromatosis into practice.
