Neuropeptides : Structure and Function in Biology and Behavior

Papers from the twentieth Winter Neuropeptide Conference expand many of the conference's original research areas, such as conservation of function--which is especially impressive in the neuropeptides--across a spectrum of vertebrate and invertebrate studies. The similarity of active conformations of MIF variants, for example, is demonstrated between insect and mammalian species. The rate of embryonic and fetal brain development, which appears to be accelerated by the peptide CRH in tadpoles as part of the stress response, also appears to accelerate the birth process in human pregnancy. Other functions of vasoactive-intestinal, opioid and other peptide families are illustrated in studies of insects, nematodes, tadpoles, mice, rats, and in clinical studies in humans.