Evolutionary Ecology: Linking traits, selective pressures and ecological functions

Abstract

The field of mental health is in the midst of exciting new developments, in both the understanding of the basic pathophysiology of mental disorders and the development of more efficacious and more "user-friendly" psychopharmacologic agents. These devel-opments, such as the application of brain imaging techniques, should not only elucidate basic patho-physiology or psychopathology but also make them visible to our eyes. They will undoubtedly continue into the next millennium. As a specialty, we have a choice to make. We can finally acknowledge that the management of psychodermatologic disorders is part of our expertise and our responsibility and incorporate both scientific and therapeutic advances in the mental health field into our own armamentarium, or we can continue to treat psychodermatology as a stepchild of our specialty and remain ignorant or simply watch from the sidelines as the progress in mental health fields unfolds.