In recent years new biophysical and biochemical techniques have enabled the study of neuronal processes previously beyond the reach of experimental research. This research has led to exciting developments in many areas of neuroscience, and to a fuller understanding of brain function. In this volume, leading experts give an integrated overview of the key areas in which developments have occurred, bridging the gap between diverse fields of neuroscience. The first section considers how molecular approaches have deepened our understanding of the functions of membrane receptors and how these receptors modulate physiological processes in the brain. Section Two addresses the embryological development of the brain, whilst the third section is devoted to studies in the regulation of neuronal survival, the control of cell numbers in the developing brain, neuron death and strategies for protecting the neurologically endangered brain. Recent research on le