Many neurological disorders including brain trauma, ischemia, infections, epilepsy, and neurodegenerative have been reported to be associated with breakdown of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Recent series of studies suggest a direct role for BBB permeability changes and abnormal blood-brain communication in the pathogenesis and symptomatology associated with specific neurological or psychiatric brain diseases, including epilepsy, stroke, and depression. The mechanisms include effects of blood components on neuronal, asrtocytic and oligodendrocytic functions, as well as abnormal signaling related to inflammation. The cumulative data suggest the BBB and blood-brain communication as potential targets for prevention and treatment of brain disorders.

This special issue focuses on topics relating blood-brain communication to disease generation, development, and prevention. The authors are invited to present original research articles, review articles, or hypotheses papers on BBB damage and repair mechanisms, potential blood-brain communication, and inflammation-related mechanisms. Specifically, papers discussing pathophysiological processes that occur before, during, and following BBB disruption which may contribute to a better understanding of neurological and psychiatric disorders and promote novel diagnostic means and therapeutic targets are requested. Effort should be made to target translational neuroscience and focus on novel therapeutic targets. We also invite authors to present novel ideas and reviews on diagnosis of altered vascular-neuronal signaling. The presentation of the original hypothesis in a review article does not require any new data. The hypothesis should be explicitly stated, the testing of the hypothesis should be detailed including the existing data in support and against the hypothesis (extensive review of the literature should be avoided), and the implications of the hypothesis should be clearly identified. Submission of supporting figures and tables is encouraged.

Before submission authors should carefully read over the journal's Author Guidelines, which are located at http://www.hindawi.com/journals/cpn/guidelines/. Prospective authors should submit an electronic copy of their complete manuscript through the journal Manuscript Tracking System at http://mts.hindawi.com/ according to the following timetable: