  We study the quantum foundations of a theory of large amplitude collective
motion for a Hamiltonian expressed in terms of canonical variables. In previous
work the separation into slow and fast (collective and non-collective)
variables was carried out without the explicit intervention of the Born
Oppenheimer approach. The addition of the Born Oppenheimer assumption not only
provides support for the results found previously in leading approximation, but
also facilitates an extension of the theory to include an approximate
description of the fast variables and their interaction with the slow ones.
Among other corrections, one encounters the Berry vector and scalar potential.
The formalism is illustrated with the aid of some simple examples, where the
potentials in question are actually evaluated and where the accuracy of the
Born Oppenheimer approximation is tested. Variational formulations of both
Hamiltonian and Lagrangian type are described for the equations of motion for
the slow variables.
