Frontiers in Catecholamine Research is a collection of papers presented at the Third International Catecholamine Symposium, held at the University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France, on May 20-25, 1973. This book is organized into nine parts encompassing 205 chapters. The text begins with a discussion on clinically and experimentally used drugs that have been developed or whose mechanism of action has been clarified through monoamine research. Parts II and III deal with enzymes related to catecholamine studies, their properties, regulation, genetics, mechanism of action, and localization. Parts IV and V examine the concepts of synaptic dynamics of brain regulators and the isolation, characterization, methods of analysis, and mechanism of action of catecholamines. Part VI focuses on the complexities that surround the extrapolation of catecholamine function into the realms of electrophysiology and behavior. Part VII discusses the metabolism, behavioral, neurological, and physiological effects of amphetamine and other drugs of abuse. The concluding parts describe the role of catecholamine and its metabolism in neurologic diseases, such as schizophrenia.

Undoubtedly this symposium will prove to be an important landmark in the development of our understanding of the psychopathology of human adaptation in general, as well as of the general adaptation syndrome and stress in particular. It was organized to give an opportunity to an international group of experts on adaptation and stress research to present summaries of their research that could then later be exhaustively analyzed. The carefully structured program brings out three major aspects of adapta tion to stress in experimental animals and man. The first section deals with the neurophysiology of stress responses, placing major emphasis upon the neuroanatomical and neurochemical aspects involved. The second section is devoted to the psychology and psychopathology of adaptive learning, motivation, anxiety, and stress. The third section examines the role played by stress in the pathogenesis of mental diseases. Many of the relevant subjects receive particularly detailed attention. Among these, the following are especially noteworthy: The existence of reward and drive neurons. Constitutional differences in physiological adaptations to stress and d- tress. Motivation, mood, and mental events in relation to adaptive processes. Peripheral catecholamines and adaptation to underload and overload. Selective corticoid and catecholamine responses to various natural stimuli. The differentiation between eustress and distress. Resistance and overmotivation in achievement-oriented activity. The dynamics of conscience and contract psychology. Sources of stress in the drive for power. Advances in the therapy of psychiatric illness. The application of experimental studies on learning to the treatment of neuroses.

The editor of these volumes has asked me to contribute a brief foreword. When I accepted this honor I suddenly became aware of the enormous progress that has taken place in this field in the 50 years since I began as a medical student, in a humble way, to take interest in the catecholamine system. At about that time some evidence was forthcoming to the effect that catecholamines were an important factor in eliciting emotional reactions, thus secondarily influencing behavior. The great physiologist Walter B. Cannon showed in his classic experiments that when a cat was exposed to a dog it responded not only with overt signs of aversion and dislike, but also with an increased flow of adrenaline from its adrenals. The relationships between catecholamines and behavior have since then become the subject of intense research by physiologists, pharmacologists, and psychologists. Infu sion of adrenaline in man was shown to provoke a typical pattern of emo tional and behavioral changes. The development of more convenient methods for the measurement of catecholamines in blood and urine led to important new findings. A close association between emotional stress and catecholamine release could be es tablished. This was further extended to psychiatric disorders in which characteristic disturbances in catecholamine release patterns were described.

With recent studies using genetic, epigenetic, and other molecular and neurochemical approaches, a new era has begun in understanding pathophysiology of suicide. Emerging evidence suggests that neurobiological factors are not only critical in providing potential risk factors but also provide a promising approach to develop more effective treatment and prevention strategies. The Neurobiological Basis of Suicide discusses the most recent findings in suicide neurobiology. Psychological, psychosocial, and cultural factors are important in determining the risk factors for suicide; however, they offer weak prediction and can be of little clinical use. Interestingly, cognitive characteristics are different among depressed suicidal and depressed nonsuicidal subjects, and could be involved in the development of suicidal behavior. The characterization of the neurobiological basis of suicide is in delineating the risk factors associated with suicide. The Neurobiological Basis of Suicide focuses on how and why these neurobiological factors are crucial in the pathogenic mechanisms of suicidal behavior and how these findings can be transformed into potential therapeutic applications.

Each issue lists papers published during the preceding year.

Each issue lists papers published during the preceding year.