Handbook of Neuroendocrinology

Neuroendocrinology is the study of how the nervous system controls hormonal secretion by endocrine glands, and in turn how hormones control the brain. Our most basic bodily functions – sex, reproduction, growth, stress, aggression, metabolism, and feeding – are all triggered and controlled by neuroendocrine systems. There are extensive interactions between the central nervous, neuroendocrine and immune systems, and neuroendocrinology is pivotal to physiology and medical research as well as to clinical practice and biological psychiatry. Dysfunction in this area leads to serious disorders such as infertility, impotence, disorders of puberty, defective or excessive growth, obesity and anorexia, Cushing’s Syndrome, Addison’s Disease, hypo/hyperthyroidism, major depression and PTSD. This volume presents findings from the world experts in the discipline and chapters deal with both theory and research. The basic principles of neuroendocrinology, neural regulation, hormone/brain function and behavior, and neuroendocrine pathology are all addressed in full. Chapters are heavily illustrated in color to most functionally elucidate the principles being discussed, and each will feature "How do we know?" callout sections which highlight the foundation of major concepts via figures, diagrams and key points. In this complex and dynamic field it is a struggle for investigators, students and clinicians to continually integrate the latest scientific and clinical information. No single-volume reference work currently exists which brings all the relevant topics together in one place, and readers must currently amass numerous volumes to obtain information that this single work will provide. Edited and authored by the leading international minds in this discipline, Neuroendocrinology will be to this community what the Williams Textbook of Endocrinology (now in it’s 11th edition, Saunders) is for basic endocrinologists – an invaluable reference with significant legacy potential. Edited by George Fink, Director, Mental Health Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Donald W. Pfaff, Laboratory of Neurobiology and Behavior, Rockefeller University, New York, U.S.A. and Jon Levine, Professor, Department of Neurobiology and Physiology Northwestern University, Evanston IL, USA Table of Contents: Part I: Basic Principles of Neuroendocrinology An introduction to neuroendocrine systems Signaling in neuroendocrine systems Neuroendocrine Control Systems Part II: Neural Regulation of Endocrine Systems Evolution of Neurohormones Neural control of the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland (pars distalis) Neural control of the posterior pituitary gland (neurohypophysis) Neural Control of the Intermediate Lobe of the Pituitary Gland (Pars Intermedia) and Proopiomelanocortin THE HYPOTHALAMIC PITUITARY ADRENAL AXIS AND NEUROENDOCRINE RESPONSES TO STRESS Neuroendocrine Control of Reproduction Lifetime Regulation of Growth-Hormone (GH) Secretion NEUROENDOCRINE REGULATION OF DEVELOPMENT, GROWTH AND METABOLISM - THYROID Circadian Rhythms in Neuroendocrine Systems Cardiovascular control - renin angiotensin- AV3V - PVN Part III: Hormones, Brain Function and Behavior Neuroendocrine Regulation of Food Intake and Energy Homeostasis Neuropeptide regulation of stress-induced behavior: insights from the CRF/Urocortin family Neuroendocrine regulation of body water and electrolytes: Thirst and salt appetite Sexual differentiation of brain and behavior Corticosteroid actions on neurotransmission Neuroendocrine Mechanism of Puberty Sexual behaviors Stress and brain function Neuroendocrinology of Aggression "Chronic Social Stress: Effects on Neuroendocrine Function " Estrogen and Cognitive Aging in Women: The Critical Period Hypothesis Hormones, mood and affect Hormones and the aging brain Part IV: Neuroendocrine Pathology KALLMANN SYNDROME AND OTHER CAUSES OF HYPOTHALAMIC HYPOGONADISM AND RELATED DEVELOPMENT DISORDERS Parental Behavior and the Perinatal Programming of Infant Development Disorders of the hypothalamic-pituitary- adrenocortical system Disorders of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Gonadal Axis Disorders of the hypothalamic-pituitary- thyroid system Neuroendocrine growth disorders - dwarfism - gigantism Neuroendocrine inherited or induced aromatase enzyme deficits Pituitary adenomas Neuroendocrine carcinomas Psychoneuroendocrinology