Behavioral endocrinology

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Behavioral endocrinology is a branch of endocrinology that studies the Neuroendocrine system and its effects on behavior.[1] Behavioral endocrinology studies the biological mechanisms that produce behaviors, this gives insight into the evolutionary past.[2] The field has roots in ethology, endocrinology and psychology.[3]

## Contents

* 1 The neuroendocrine system
* 1.1 Hypothalamus
* 1.2 Pituitary gland
* 2 Neuroendocrine regulation of behavior
* 2.1 Adrenal Hormones
* 2.1.1 Cortisol
* 2.1.2 Adrenaline
* 2.2 Peptide Hormones
* 2.2.1 Oxytocin
* 2.2.2 Vassopressin
* 2.3 Sex Steroids
* 2.3.1 Testosterone
* 2.3.2 Estrogen
* 2.4 Thyroid Hormones
* 3 Diseases and medicine
* 4 History
* 4.1 Influential scientists
* 5 Organizations
* 6 See also
* 7 References

## The neuroendocrine system

The neuroendocrine system is an integrated system composed of neurons, glands and non-endocrine tissues, and the hormones and neurochemicals they produce and receive collectively regulate physiological or behavioral state.[4]

### Hypothalamus

Main article: Biology:Hypothalamus

The hypothalamus is a distinct part of the brain that is made up of neurons and its main purpose is to maintain homeostasis.[5] The hypothalamus also plays an important part in survival of the individual by integrating the interactions between hormonal and behavioral processes, such as, eating behavior and aggressive behavior.[5]

### Pituitary gland

Main article: Medicine:Pituitary gland

The pituitary gland located in the brain is a major system in neuroendocrine system because the secretion of hormones from the anterior pituitary is directly regulated by the central nervous system.[6]

## Neuroendocrine regulation of behavior

Social behavior, reproductive behavior, moods, feelings, attitudes, development and survival are affected by the neuroendocrine system and studied in the field of behavioral endocrinology.[2][7] One perspective views hormones as biological “coordinators”[8], responding to various “inputs” by appropriately regulating the related “outputs”. For example, androgens such as testosterone, estradiol and progesterone modulate the investment of resources spent toward mating or survival[9]. From this perspective, the androgens respond to several relevant inputs (the presence of potential mates, the amount of food or fat available, stress, illness, etc,) and modulates physiology and behavior accordingly (modulating metabolic rate and fat storage, courtship behavior, parental behavior, etc.)

### Adrenal Hormones

#### Cortisol

Main article: Chemistry:Cortisol

See the Cortisol: Memory and Stress sections for more information on how cortisol has been found to affect behavior.[citation needed]

#### Adrenaline

Main article: Biology:Adrenaline

See the Adrenaline: Emotional response and Memory sections for more information on how adrenaline affects behavior.[citation needed]

### Peptide Hormones

#### Oxytocin

Oxytocin is a peptide that has been associated with social behavior, specifically regarding areas like trust, empathy, and other affirmative behaviors.[10]

#### Vassopressin

Vassopressin (or AVP) has physiological functions regulating water retention and blood pressure, as well as social behavior.[10]

### Sex Steroids

Main article: Biology:Sex hormone

#### Testosterone

Testosterone is secreted by the testicles of males and the ovaries of females, although small amounts are also secreted by the adrenal glands. It is the principal male sex hormone and an anabolic steroid. See Testosterone: Aggression and criminality and Testosterone: Brain for more information on how testosterone effects behavior.[citation needed]

#### Estrogen

Estrogens, together, make up a group of primary female sex hormones synthesized in the ovaries. See Estrogen: Brain and behavior for more on the role of estrogen in behavioral endocrinology.

### Thyroid Hormones

Thyroid hormones are responsible for controlling metabolism, nervous system, body temperature and development of several organ systems such as the reproductive system.

## Diseases and medicine

Main article: Medicine:Endocrine disease

Hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism are the two major dysfunctions associated to behavioral and brain chemistry changes due to the imbalances in the thyroid hormones, triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4).[11]

## History

Behavioral endocrinology has roots in ethology and is also seen as a combination of endocrinology and psychology. Like ethology, behavioral endocrinology focuses on behavior on the level of the whole organism. The invention of radioimmunoassay techniques revolutionized behavioral endocrinology, allowing scientists to see and quantify hormones. The field historically resists reductionist thinking and focuses on the physiological aspects of behavior.[3]

### Influential scientists

Charles Otis Whitman

Karl Lashley

## Organizations

1. Society of Behavioral Neuroendocrinology- Platform that provides a network between interested persons from all different experience levels.[12]

## See also

* Neuroendocrinology
* Endocrinology
* Hormone
* Behavior
* Endocrine disease
* Neuroendocrine cell
* Evolutionary psychology

## References

1. ↑ Becker, Jill B.; Breedlove, S. Marc; Crews, David. (1992). Behavioral endocrinology. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press. ISBN 0262023423. OCLC 24247523.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Welling, Lisa L. M.; Shackelford, Todd K. (2019-05-09), "Future Directions in Human Behavioral Endocrinology", The Oxford Handbook of Evolutionary Psychology and Behavioral Endocrinology (Oxford University Press): pp. 432–441, doi:10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190649739.013.22, ISBN 9780190649739
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Marler, Peter (2005-04-01). "Ethology and the origins of behavioral endocrinology". Hormones and Behavior 47 (4): 493–502. doi:10.1016/j.yhbeh.2005.01.002. ISSN 0018-506X. PMID 15777816.
4. ↑ Levine, Jon E. (2012-01-01), Fink, George; Pfaff, Donald W.; Levine, Jon E., eds., "Chapter 1 - An Introduction to Neuroendocrine Systems", Handbook of Neuroendocrinology (Academic Press): pp. 3–19, ISBN 9780123750976, http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780123750976100010, retrieved 2019-10-07
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Hennig, J. (2001-01-01), Smelser, Neil J.; Baltes, Paul B., eds., Hypothalamus, Pergamon, pp. 7113–7118, ISBN 9780080430768, http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B0080430767034689, retrieved 2019-10-07
6. ↑ Goodman, H. Maurice (2009-01-01), Goodman, H. Maurice, ed., "Chapter 2 - Pituitary Gland", Basic Medical Endocrinology (Fourth Edition) (Academic Press): pp. 29–42, ISBN 9780123739759, http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780123739759000021, retrieved 2019-10-07
7. ↑ Welling, Lisa L. M.; Shackelford, Todd K. (2019). Welling, Lisa L. M.. ed. The Oxford handbook of evolutionary psychology and behavioral endocrinology. Oxford library of psychology. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-064973-9. OCLC 1033551068.
8. ↑ Roney, James R. (August 2016). "Theoretical frameworks for human behavioral endocrinology" (in en). Hormones and Behavior 84: 97–110. doi:10.1016/j.yhbeh.2016.06.004. https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0018506X15301367.
9. ↑ Bribiescas, Richard G. (2001). "Reproductive ecology and life history of the human male" (in en). American Journal of Physical Anthropology 116 (S33): 148–176. doi:10.1002/ajpa.10025. ISSN 0002-9483. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ajpa.10025.
10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Insel, Thomas R. (March 2010). "The Challenge of Translation in Social Neuroscience: A Review of Oxytocin, Vasopressin, and Affiliative Behavior" (in en). Neuron 65 (6): 768–779. doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2010.03.005. PMID 20346754. PMC 2847497. https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0896627310001765.
11. ↑ Bauer, Michael; Whybrow, Peter C. (2002), "Thyroid Hormone, Brain, and Behavior", Hormones, Brain and Behavior (Elsevier): pp. 239–264, doi:10.1016/b978-012532104-4/50023-8, ISBN 9780125321044
12. ↑ "About Us". https://sbn.org/about.aspx.

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