Behavioral neuroendocrinologists are interested in the interactions between hormones and behaviors. This unique book tracks the development of behavioral neuroendocrinology from the first recognized paper in the field by Arnold Berthold in 1849 to the major contributors of the past century. It traces the history and development of the field by exploring the women and men who conducted the studies that revealed these hormone-behavioral relationships. Most chapters are written by the individuals who knew these pioneers best, and describe their stories and discuss the ways in which their work has shaped the field. Now is the perfect time for this book. The field is burgeoning and interest in the development of theoretical perspectives is thriving. Moreover, although this field was dominated by men early on, it has become a field with near sexual parity among its faculty, society membership, and leadership, and thus serves as an example of equitable science, training, and advocacy.

Life on earth has evolved under a consistent cycle of light and darkness caused by the earth's rotation around its axis. This has led to a 24-hour circadian system in most organisms, ranging all the way from fungi to humans. With the advent of electric light in the 19th century, cycles of light and darkness have drastically changed. Shift workers and others exposed to high levels of light at night are at increased risk of health problems, including metabolic syndrome, depression, sleep disorders, dementia, heart disease, and cancer. This book will describe how the circadian system regulates physiology and behavior and consider the important health repercussions of chronic disruption of the circadian system in our increasingly lit world. The research summarized here will interest students in psychology, biology, neuroscience, immunology, medicine, and ecology.

The Oxford Encyclopedia of Neuroendocrine and Autonomic Systems provides an up-to-date survey of the wide range of scholarship being conducted on these two systems in the field of neuroendocrinology. The Encyclopedia includes more than 50 articles—each approximately 8,000 words in length—that provide thorough overviews of a diverse set of topics in neuroendocrine regulation, neuroimmunology, behavioral neuroendocrinology, autonomic regulation, stress, thirst and water balance, regulation of food intake, and biological rhythms and sleep, among many others. All authors were commissioned specifically for the Encyclopedia, and all articles received blind peer reviews. The articles provide critical and synthetic examinations, as well as the history, progress, direction, and debates about research on a given topic, surveying developments and different perspectives, and discussing important contributors and contributions. The Encyclopedia offers coverage of core and emerging areas of research to provide readers a reliable source of specialist information on topics not discussed in existing reference works. As such, The Oxford Encyclopedia of Neuroendocrine and Autonomic Systems represents a unique contribution to scholarship in neuroendocrinology and will be a standard reference for researchers, students, and professionals in the field.

Unchecked aggression and violence take a significant toll on society. Even if we manage to avoid being the direct victim of a violent act, the effects of aggression and violence reach us all: We hear about the mauling of a woman by an aggressive dog, our children are bullied at school, or we deal with impulsive violence while commuting to work or attending a sporting event. Reflecting psychology in general, the dominant roles of learning and environmental influences - both social and nonsocial - have traditionally been prominent in discussions of the etiology of human aggression. Biological factors have not been considered sufficiently important to investigate in the search for ways of dealing with human aggression or violence. With recent advances in pharmacology and genetic manipulation techniques, however, new interest has developed in the biological mechanisms of both non-human and human aggression. Although aggression is certainly a complex social behavior with multiple causes, molecular biological factors should not be overlooked, as they may well lead to interventions that prevent excess aggressive behaviors. The primary goal of this book is to summarize and synthesize recent advances in the biological study of aggression. As most aggressive encounters among human and non-human animals represent a male proclivity, the research in this book describes and discusses studies using the most appropriate murine model: testosterone-dependent offensive inter-male aggression, which is typically measured in resident-intruder or isolation-induced aggression tests. The research also emphasizes various molecules that have been linked to aggression tests. The research also emphasizes various molecules that have been linked to aggression by the latest gene-targeting and pharmacological techniques. Although the evidence continues to point to androgens and serotonin (5-HT) as major hormonal and neurotransmitter factors in aggressive behavior, recent work with GABA, dopamine, vasopressin, and other factors, such as nitric oxide, has revealed significant interactions with the neural circuitry underlying aggression. This book is organized according to levels of analysis. The first section examines the genetic contributions to aggression in species ranging from crustaceans to humans. The section summarizes the involvement of various neurotransmitters and neuromodulators in aggressive behavior. The third section summarizes the influence of hormones on aggression, primarily in humans. All chapters emphasize future directions for research on aggression and reveal important domains that have received comparatively less attention in this literature. Considered together, these chapters provide up-to-date coverage of the biology of aggression by some of the leading authorities currently working in this field. Biology of Aggression will direct future research to continue the recent advances in the pharmacological and genetic approaches to understanding aggression and violence. It promises to be a valuable resource for professional and student researchers in neuroscience, psychiatry, cognitive and developmental psychology, behavioral biology, and veterinary medicine.

This book presents evidence that infection is cyclical with the seasons, and that this phenomenon is mirrored in cycles of immune function. The book identifies the mechanisms by which immune systems are bolstered to counteract seasonally-recurrent stressors, such as extreme temperature reductions and food shortages. Stress, infectious diseases, autoimmune diseases, and human cancers are examined, and the role of hormones such as melatonin and glucocorticoids is considered. The book begins with an overview of seasonality, biological rhythms and photoperiodism, and basic immunology, and then discusses seasonal fluctuations in disease prevalence, immune function, and energetics and endocrinology as they relate to immune function. The clinical significance of this issue is also addressed, as such seasonal changes may play an important role in the development and treatment of infections. This first monograph to examine seasonal immune function from an interdisciplinary perspective will serve practitioners as well as advanced undergraduates and graduate students in biology, immunology, human and veterinary medicine, neuroscience, endocrinology, and zoology.

This volume presents evidence that infection is cyclical with the seasons, and that this phenomenon is mirrored in cycles of immune function. The authors identify the mechanisms by which immune systems are bolstered to counteract seasonally-recurrent stressors, such as extreme temperature reductions and food shortages. Stress, infectious diseases, autoimmune diseases, and human cancers are examined, and the role of hormones such as melatonin and glucocorticoids are considered. This is the first monograph to examine seasonal immune function from an interdisciplinary perspective.

The market-leading text, An Introduction to Behavioral Endocrinology, Sixth Edition provides an updated, integrated presentation of the study of hormone-behavior-brain interactions. Maintaining a comparative approach, the text explores the endocrine mechanisms that have evolved in both human and nonhuman animals to solve common problems in survival and reproduction. The text describes interactions among hormones, brain, and behavior from a historical perspective, emphasizing connections among key theories and tracing the emergence of important hypotheses. The book is organized around the conceptual theme that hormones affect behavior by influencing one or more of three "components" of behaving animals-input mechanisms (such as sensory or perceptual processes), the central processing mechanisms of the nervous system (either directly, or by affecting its development or structure), and output mechanisms (such as effectors or peripheral structures). Despite increased coverage of molecular and cellular approaches, the book strives for accessibility for non-biological science students. An Introduction to Behavioral Endocrinology, Sixth Edition, is appropriate for upper-level undergraduate and graduate courses in psychology, biology, anthropology, or zoology. It contains several important pedagogical features: *Learning objectives are set out at the beginning of each chapter and now include 3 multiple choice questions per objective in the enhanced ebook. *Learning Activity in each chapter (new to this edition) *Key terms are defined in the margins throughout the text. *The text is richly illustrated with color photographs and drawings. *Chapter-end summaries restate important points. *Discussion questions and suggested further readings are also included in each chapter. *The text contains nearly 2,400 references to the literature in behavioral endocrinology. RESOURCES For Students As with previous editions, the book is accompanied by animations, video, web links, sound files, a complete glossary, and graphics-accessible via Oxford Learning Link-to aid in understanding the material in the text. This edition will also include an enhanced ebook. For Instructors -The Instructor's Resource Library includes electronic versions of all the textbook's figures and tables. All images are provided as both high- and low-resolution JPEGs, formatted and optimized for excellent legibility when projected. All figures and tables are also provided in ready-to-use PowerPoint presentations. -The Test Bank includes multiple-choice, short-answer, and essay questions for each chapter of the textbook. Prepared by the author, these questions are a helpful resource that can greatly speed the process of preparing exams and quizzes for the course.