Advances in the treatment of mood and anxiety disorders have been significant in recent years. The expectation among psychiatrists that patients can achieve remission is increasing, particularly with the advent of antidepressants with differing modes of action. It was my pleasure to be involved in the development of, and to chair, a series of global neuroscience summit meetings, for which a panel of internationally recognized psychiatrists with academic and clinical expertise in mood and anxiety disorders were brought together to share their knowledge and experience with participants from around the world. The program, developed by the panel, provided an excellent educational and highly interactive forum to discuss clinical and research aspects of unipolar major depressive disorder and anxiety disorders, particularly generalized anxiety disorder. The Global Neuroscience Summit was specifically designed to gain worldwide consensus on key issues relative to response-versus-remission in the management and treatment of mood and anxiety disorders. Each of the regional summits (Latin America, Asia-Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and North America) were represented by a co-chair, who provided regional expertise and encouraged participants to actively contribute to the discussions and interact with the assembled, distinguished faculty. This supplement presents the diverse range of topics presented at the Global Neuroscience Summit meetings and includes both plenary and workshop presentations. The topics range from our understanding of the neurobiology of mood and anxiety disorders and the evolution of our understanding of neurotransmitters in the pathophysiology of these disorders, to the clinical course of mood and anxiety disorders, the use of brain-imaging techniques to further understand the etiology of psychiatric disorders, and the influence that treatment has on the central nervous system. The program was sponsored by an unrestricted educational grant from Wyeth and reflects the company's commitment to the management of disorders of the central nervous system.