Synopsis
International experts review neurodevelopmental factors underlying psychiatric disorder, and link these with clinical findings.
Michael J. Schrift
This exciting new book covers the emerging relationship between abnormalities of central nervous system development and adult psychopathological states. The book is an outgrowth of recent findings in neuroscience relating specific abnormalities noted in the developing fetal brain to risk factors for adult onset schizophrenia. Written and edited by internationally recognized experts in this area, this book is a valuable contribution to the field. The purpose of the book, according to the editors, is to present to the reader the rapidly expanding knowledge base in developmental biology, and its consequences for our understanding of major adult psychiatric disorders. The editors have succeeded in producing a readable and comprehensive review of this extremely important research. The intended audience, according to the editors, is researchers in the fields of behavioral neuroscience, developmental biology, and biological psychiatry. It would also be informative to clinicians and trainees who want to keep abreast of this important emerging research. The book features 282 pages divided into three sections and nineteen chapters. Section I is a review of normal neural development. Section II covers research findings relevant to adult onset psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, autism, affective disorders, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Section III focuses on integrating various neurodevelopmental models of schizophrenia. Each chapter is referenced with up-to-date citations and there is a useful index at the back of the book. This is an outstanding new book on the relationship between early developmental brain abnormalities and adult psychopathological states, integrating basicand clinical neurosciences. It is a welcome contribution to the field and will be useful as a reference for researchers and clinicians in psychiatry.