H. HAFNER Schizophrenia Research Unit, Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim, Germany The present volume contains the lectures and invited discussions of the sympo sium on "Risk and protective factors in schizophrenia - towards a conceptual model of the disease process", which was held at the International Science Forum of the University of Heidelberg from October 25 to 27, 200l. They are supple mented by a "Summary and outlook", in which Peter Jones gives a brief overview of the results and perspectives featured in the presentations and discussions. The contributions and discussions reflect the open-minded and creative atmosphere at the meeting. The systematically structured program of the symposium continued the tradition of the Search for the Causes of Schizophrenia symposia, which were th started in 1986 on the occasion of the 600 anniversary of the University of Hei delberg and which are co-organized with Prof. Wagner Farid Gattaz/Sao Paulo. The aim of these symposia and their proceedings volumes [6,8-10] has been to reflect the state of the art in schizophrenia research at their time, and they have successfully done so. In contrast, the present symposium pursued a more lim ited objective and was of a different type. It brought together, around a large table at the International Science Forum in Heidelberg, 22 invited speakers and dis cussants and an equal number of young scientists working in the research fields in question, who were thus given an opportunity to listen and to participate.

InhaltsangabeGenetics and Population-related Risk Factors.- Genetics of schizophrenia and related disorders.- Genotype-environment interaction in the Finnish adoptive family study - Interplay between genes and environment?.- Cognitive epidemiology: psychological and social risk mechanisms for psychosis.- Developmental Disorders of the Brain.- Neuropathology of schizophrenia: is there evidence for a neurodevelopmental disorder?.- High-risk studies and neurodevelopmental hypothesis.- Are structural cerebral changes progressive in schizophrenia?.- Discussion: developmental disorders of the brain.- Environmental Risk Factors.- Obstetric complications, maternal psychopathology, and the risk of psychosis.- Migration and the social epidemiology of schizophrenia.- Urban/rural life as a risk factor?.- Environmental risk factors of psychosis.- Indicators of Schizophrenia in Childhood and Adolescence.- Risk factors for schizophrenia in childhood and youth.- Association between cognitive and behavioral functioning, non-psychotic psychiatric diagnoses, and drug abuse in adolescence, with later hospitalization for schizophrenia.- Specificity of basic symptoms in early onset schizophrenia.- Discussion: indicators of schizophrenia in childhood and adolescence.- Psychopathological Predictors of Onset and Course of Schizophrenia.- Predicting the onset of schizophrenia.- The early course of schizophrenia.- Testing models of the early course of schizophrenia.- Discussion: psychopathological predictors of onset and course of schizophrenia.- Perspectives of Neuroprotective Interventions.- Neuroprotection in schizophrenia - What does it mean? - What means do we have?.- Neuroprotective effects of estrogens in the central nervous system: mechanisms of action.- Results of two controlled studies on estrogen: avenue to neuroprotection in schizophrenia.- Psychoprotective Factors.- Family interventions: empirical evidence of efficacy and open questions.- Cognitive-behavior therapy in the treatment of schizophrenia.- Coping and social support as protective factors.- Discussion: Protective interventions in schizophrenia.- Developments and Perspectives.- Risk and protective factors in schizophrenia. Towards a conceptual model of the disease process.