Development of Mechanisms Regulating Global Cns States: Special Issue: Developmental Neuroscience 2009, Vol. 31, No. 4

Fundamental to cognition and emotional expression is the state of generalized arousal, and stress is clearly important for a variety of psychological and neurological illnesses. As our insights into the development of neural systems responsible for processing sensory stimuli, for generating specific motor responses and performing particular skills such as learning and memory continue to increase at a rapid pace, it is apparent that the development of those brain systems responsible for global states such as generalized CNS arousal, anxiety, stress, sexuality, mood and sleep have not received the attention they deserve. Furthermore, there is a need to understand how changes in these global states impact CNS development. Written by leading experts in these fields, this publication contains original articles and reviews to bring the reader up to date on global CNS states and brain development. The studies included in this issue use a broad range of techniques from noninvasive brain imaging to analyses of genetic and epigenetic mechanisms, reporting on findings from both experimental animals and human subjects. Offering unique insights into the current state and future directions of research on global CNS states, this publication will be a valuable resource for basic neuroscientists and neurologists, psychiatrists, pediatricians, psychologists, psychopharmacologists and many other professionals.