The induction of heat shock proteins (Hsps) has been established as a characteristic feature of the heat shock response. Some Hsps are constitutively expressed in non-stressed cells. Constitutive Hsps may be of particular importance in the mammalian nervous system because of their higher expression levels in the neural tissues than other tissues. In this thesis, we examined the expression levels of constitutive Hsps in different classes of neurons, and investigated the involvement of Hsc70 in the neuronal heat shock response. Quantitative immunohistochemistry analysis revealed differing expression levels of constitutive Hsc70 and Hsp27 in different populations of neurons. Motor neurons in the spinal cord showed high levels of Hsc70 compared to dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra while neurons in the entorhinal cortex and hippocampus demonstrate even lower levels of Hsc70. Hsp27 was constitutively expressed at high levels in motor neurons of the spinal cord but was not detectable in neurons of the entorhinal cortex, hippocampus and substantia nigra. Other constitutively expressed Hsps, such as Hsp110, Hsp90, Hsp60 and Hsp40, did not demonstrate significant differences in levels in the various classes of neurons. The widely differing levels of constitutive Hsc70 and Hsp27 in different classes of neurons may have implications in neurodegenerative diseases. Neural cell types showing high levels of Hsc70 and Hsp27 may have a high buffering capacity against protein misfolding disorders. Following thermal stress, Hsc70 demonstrated a translocation to synapse-enriched areas of the cerebral cortex where it associated with Hsp40 to form a complex that can refold denatured proteins. The induction of Hsp70 was mainly observed in glial cells. Our results suggest that the heat shock response in the nervous system involves not only the synthesis of stress-inducible Hsps but also the redeployment of constitutively expressed Hsc70 to the synapse-enriched areas. Lipid rafts are an important compartment of synapses and platforms for signal transduction complexes involved in neurotransmission events. A set of constitutive Hsps was associated with lipid rafts and did not show major changes following thermal stress, suggesting that they may play roles in maintaining the stability of lipid raft-associated signal transduction complexes following neural stress.