A. Advances.- Disorders of Consciousness: Anatomical and Physiological Mechanisms.- Abstract.- The Wake-Sleep Cycle.- Phenomenology.- Regulation.- Wakefulness Network.- The Posterior Hypothalamus.- Histamine Network.- Orexin/Hypocretin Network.- Brainstem Acetylcholine and Amine Networks.- The Serotonin System.- Tentative Functions of the Wake System.- Effect of Sleep Deprivation on Cognitive Performances.- References.- Advances in Craniosynostosis Research and Management.- Abstract.- Normal Craniofacial Embryology and Growth.- Aetiology, Pathogenesis and Function.- Classification and Diagnosis.- Evolution of Surgical Treatment.- Recent Advances.- Molecular Studies.- Imaging Techniques and Surgical Planning.- Resorbable Fixation.- Bone Substitutes and Tissue Engineering.- Distraction Osteogenesis and the Spring-Mediated Cranioplasties.- Resorbable Distractor Devices.- Minimally Invasive Surgery.- In Utero Surgery.- Surgical Techniques.- Sagittal Synostosis.- Unicoronal Synostosis.- Metopic Synostosis.- Unilambdoid Synostosis.- Bicoronal Synostosis.- Saethre-Chotzen Syndrome.- Crouzon and Pfeiffer Syndromes.- Apert Syndrome.- References.- B. Technical Standards.- Preoperative Clinical Evaluation, Outline of Surgical Technique and Outcome in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy.- Abstract.- Epidemiology of Temporal Lobe Epilepsy (TLE).- Etiology and Pathology of TLE.- Temporal Lobe Seizure Symptomatology.- Mesial TLE.- Neocortical TLE.- Selection of Candidates for Preoperative Assessment.- Neuropsychological Evaluation in TLE.- WADA Test.- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in TLE.- Volumetry.- NMR-Spectroscopy.- Lesions in MRI.- Functional MRI.- EEG-Videotelemetry in TLE.- Interictal EEG.- Diagnostic EEG-Videotelemetry.- Intracranial EEG-Monitoring in TLE.- Indications for Intracranial EEG.- Intracranial EEG-Recording in Videotelemetry.- Surgical Technique for Inserting the Electrodes.- Complications of Invasive EEG-Monitoring.- Functional Imaging in TLE.- Positron Emission Tomography, PET.- Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography, SPECT.- Magnetoencephalography, MEG.- Indications for Surgery in TLE.- Surgery in Patients with Temporal Lobe Lesions.- Technique of Tailored Temporal Lobe Resection with Amygdalo-Hippocampectomy.- Peroperative Electrocorticography.- Outcome of Surgery with Respect to Seizures.- Complications.- Conclusions.- Acknowledgemen.- References.- Motor Evoked Potential Monitoring for Spinal Cord and Brain Stem Surgery.- Abstract.- I: Intraoperative Neurophysiological Techniques.- The Past.- Historical Background on MEP Monitoring.- Misconceptions about MEP Monitoring.- The Present.- MEP Monitoring Techniques for Spinal Cord and Brainstem Procedures.- Transcranial Electrical Stimulation of the Motor Cortex and Muscle Recordings (Multipulse Technique).- Transcranial Electrical Stimulation of the Motor Cortex and Epidural Recordings (Single Pulse Technique).- Mapping of the Corticospinal Tract During Brainstem Procedures.- The “Future”.- Mapping of the Corticospinal Tract During Spinal Cord Procedures: The Collision Technique.- Monitoring of the Corticobulbar Tracts.- II: Clinical Application.- Correlation Between Intraoperative MEP Recordings and Post-Operative Motor Outcome.- How to Avoid Irreversible MEP Loss.- Warning Signals.- Corrective Measures for the Management of Deteriorating Signals.- Dose MEP Monitoring Really Make a Difference?.- Illustrative Cases.- Conclusions.- References.- Acknowledgments.- Motor Evoked Potential Monitoring for the Surgery of Brain Tumours and Vascular Malformations.- Abstract.- Direct Stimulation Mapping.- Evoked Potentials.- Motor Evoked Potentials.- MEP Technique.- Stimulation.- Recording.- Safety and Anesthesia.- Equipment and Staffing.- Neurophysiological Functional Mapping of the Pericentral Cortex.- SEP Phase Reversal.- Intraoperative Stimulation Mapping.- Extraoperative Mapping with Grid Electrodes.- Principles of Clinical Application.- Indications for MEP Monitoring.- Interpretation of MEP Changes.- Correlation of Intraoperative MEP Changes and Motor Outcome.- Surgical Reactions to MEP Changes.- Influence of MEP Monitoring on Surgical Results and Outcome.- Specific Applications.- Supratentorial Tumors and Vascular Malformations.- Central Tumors and AVMs.- Insular Tumors and Sylvian AVMs.- Infratentorial Surgery.- Indications for MEP Monitoring.- Impact on Surgical Strategy.- Clinical Experience with MEP Monitoring for Infratentorial Surgery.- Aneurysms.- SEP Monitoring for Aneurysm Surgery.- Conduction of MEP Monitoring for Aneurysm Surgery.- Clinical Experience.- Clinical Relevance of Aneurysm Monitoring.- Summary and Conclusions.- Why MEP Monitoring?.- When to Perform MEP Monitoring?.- How to Achieve Good MEP Monitoring?.- How to Assess and Interpret MEPs?.- Does MEP Monitoring Influence Surgical Strategy and Postoperative Outcome.- References.- Functional Neuronavigation and Intraoperative MRI.- Abstract.- Functional Neuronavigation.- Magnetoencephalography.- Functional MRI.- Clinical Impact of Functional Imaging.- Comparing MEG/fMRI.- Intraoperative Imaging.- Low-Field MR Imaging.- Clinical Experience.- Pituitary Tumour Surgery.- Glioma Surgery.- Epilepsy Surgery.- Limitations and Imaging Alternatives.- High-Field MR Imaging.- Integration of a High-Field Scanner into the Operating Room.- First Clinical Results.- Summary & Future Developments.- Acknowledgments.- References.- Surgical Anatomy of the Insula.- Summary.- Descriptive Anatomy [33, 39].- The Borders of the Insula.- The Insular Cortex (Fig. 7).- Relationships (Figs . 8–12).- The Association Fibers.- Short Association Fibers.- Long Ipsihemispheric Association Fascicles.- Vascular Anatomy (Figs. 13–15).- Arterial Relationships.- Veins.- Functional Anatomy.- Connections (Fig . 17) [l, 17, 18].- Physiological Roles of the Insula [1–3, 13, 14, 22, 23, 27].- Insula and Pain.- The Insula and Epilepsy Surgery.- Tumoral Surgery in the Insular Region.- Conclusion.- References.