The Handbook of Stress and the Brain focuses on the impact of stressful events on the functioning of the central nervous system; how stress affects molecular and cellular processes in the brain, and in turn, how these brain processes determine our perception of and reactivity to, stressful challenges - acutely and in the long-run. Written for a broad scientific audience, the Handbook comprehensively reviews key principles and facts to provide a clear overview of the interdisciplinary field of stress. The work aims to bring together the disciplines of neurobiology, physiology, immunology, psychology and psychiatry, to provide a reference source for both the non-clinical and clinical expert, as well as serving as an introductory text for novices in this field of scientific inquiry. Part 2 treats the complexity of short-term and long-term regulation of stress responsivity, the role of stress in psychiatric disorders as based on both preclinical and clinical evidence, and the current status with regard to new therapeutic strategies targetting stress-related disorders.