The maintenance of a stable internal state is of fundamental importance for all organisms. In the nervous system in particular, multiple levels of homeostatic regulation have been identified. Neurons can preserve their excitability in a functional dynamic range by adjusting their intrinsic properties and the strength of their synapses in a cell-autonomous manner. Circuits are thought to maintain a balanced level of activity by complex rewiring of connectivity between different neuron types. At the systems level, the interaction between cell-autonomous and circuit mechanisms may preserve stable sensory, motor, and cognitive functions. Homeostatic mechanisms endow neural circuits with the ability to maintain flexibility and respond to perturbations due to growth and development, changes in environmental stimuli, and shifts in cognitive activity.

We invite authors to submit original articles as well as review articles discussing recent advancement in the homeostatic regulation of brain function. Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

• Cellular and synaptic mechanisms of neuronal homeostasis
• Excitation, inhibition, and homeostasis at the circuit level
• Stability and flexibility of neural network function
• Theoretical studies of network stability
• Pathological disruption of neuron and network stability

Before submission authors should carefully read over the journal's Author Guidelines, which are located at http://www.hindawi.com/journals/np/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: