The goal of this journal is to create an ongoing dialogue with the aim of reconciling psychoanalytic and neuroscientific perspectives on the mind. This goal is based on the assumption that these two historically divided disciplines are ultimately pursuing the same task, namely, 'attempt[ing] to make the complications of mental functioning intelligible by dissecting the function and assigning its different constituents to different component parts of the [mental] apparatus' (Freud, 1900a, p. 536). Notwithstanding the fact that psychoanalysis and neuroscience have approached this important scientific task from radically different perspectives, the underlying unity of purpose has become increasingly evident in recent years as neuroscientists have begun to investigate those 'complications of mental functioning' that were traditionally the preserve of psychoanalysts. This has produced an explosion of new insights into problems of vital interest to psychoanalysis, but these insights have not been reconciled with existing psychoanalytic theories and models. Likewise, neuroscientists tackling these complex problems of human subjectivity for the first time have much to learn from a century of psychoanalytic inquiry.

Neuro-Psychoanalysis will publish unsolicited original articles on an any topic that can facilitate consilience between psychoanalysis and neuroscience. Scientific (i.e., clinical or experimental) contributions will receive due prominence, but space will also be provided for submissions on scholarly topics of relevant interdisciplinary interest (e.g., history of medicine, philosophy of mind). Wherever appropriate, submitted papers will be published together with invited peer commentaries.

In addition, target papers on selected themes or topics will be solicited from leading researchers, and published together with invited commentaries from both psychoanalytic and neuroscientific peers. For example, in the first issue, a leading neuroscientist working on the neurobiology of emotion was asked to critically evaluate Freudian affect theory in the light of his own research, and a group of distinguished psychoanalysts and neuroscientists were asked to consider Freud's theory and the neuroscientific commentary from their different points of view. A similar, extended dialogue on the subject of dreaming appeared in the second issue of the journal. Subsequent issues included dialogues on consciousness, confabulation, anosognosia and neglect, schizophrenia, and memory. All papers (whether solicited or unsolicited, and including the commentaries) are subject to peer review before they are accepted for publication.

Reader participation in these dialogues is strongly encouraged. To submit a commentary on any of the articles published in this journal (including the current issue), a message should be sent to our Online Editor at admin@neuropsa.org. Subject to normal editorial controls, these commentaries will be placed on this section of the Neuro-Psychoanalysis website.

Conventional 'letters to the editors' - on any subject, submitted by regular or electronic mail - are also welcome.

Other regular features will include book reviews (with some books being evaluated by more than one reviewer, from their different perspectives), a research digest (containing brief abstracts of journals), and regional bulletins (i.e. reporting news from relevant study groups, research centers, and the like, around the world).