The intellectual roots of the schism between neurology and psychiatry are discussed. The opposition between the 19th century academic neuropsychiatry and the alienistic psychiatry is discussed. The evolution of aphasiology is discussed as a paradigm of neuropsychiatry.

The purpose of this article is to give a comprehensive review of biological theories about the development of panic disorder.

Noradrenergic, serotonergic and GABA-ergic models of panic disorder are discussed, together with the role of peptides and neuroanatomical hypotheses.

The conclusion is that there is no unitary biological explanation of panic disorder.

An intergrative bio-psycho-social model seems for the moment the most usefull.

An overview is given of some developments in the field of the molecular biological sciences with their impact on neuropsychiatry and psychopharmacology. Interference with the functioning of the cell will give some clues for the development of new psychotropic drugs. The genesis of disorders will be elucidated. This can lead to new methods of therapy. Moreover, the possibility to affect gene expression may offer opportunities for the development of new drugs. The existence and functioning of priones is explained. Interfering with neuroplastic principles may become an important method for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.