Psychoneuroendocrinology studies the interactions between hormones and behavior, including abnormal hormone levels caused by disease or medication. Professionals work in hospitals, research centers, and mental health facilities, and may specialize in psychiatry, psychology, neurology, or endocrinology. Understanding healthy hormone changes can provide insight into abnormal changes, and treatment may involve stabilizing hormone levels through surgery, medication adjustments, or supportive care. Careers in the field require medical school and advanced fellowships, with opportunities for research and professional development through organizations and conferences.
Psychoneuroendocrinology is a medical field focused on the interactions between hormones and human behavior. Hormonal fluctuations can cause psychiatric symptoms and it is important to understand the mechanisms underlying these symptoms when providing treatment and identifying patients who may be at increased risk for psychiatric disorders. Psychoneuroendocrinology professionals work in a variety of locations, including hospitals, research centers, and mental health facilities. Their expertise may lie in psychiatry, psychology, neurology or endocrinology and the field is highly interdisciplinary in nature.
Hormones fluctuate throughout life, and part of psychoneuroendocrinology can include studying healthy changes in hormone levels and how these affect behavior as patients move through life. As most parents of teenagers have noted, for example, dramatic changes in behavior occur during the hormonal spikes of puberty. Understanding how hormones interact with the brains of healthy patients during normal development can provide important insights into what happens when something goes wrong.
Patients may develop abnormal hormone levels due to systemic disease, cancer, or medications. The hormonal changes associated with pregnancy sometimes manifest in unusual ways, as seen in the development of postpartum depression, a psychoneuroendocrinological disorder seen in some women who experience severe depression after childbirth. While many women experience some mental changes after giving birth and adjusting to a new baby, postpartum depression is a medical concern due to its severity and risks to the patient.
Physicians who practice psychoneuroendocrinology can evaluate patients with psychiatric conditions to see if there is an endocrinological explanation. Their work may include finding out how to stabilize hormone levels to help the patient recover. This might require surgery to remove a tumor, adjustments to a patient’s medications, or supportive care until a patient’s hormones naturally return to normal. Researchers in this field may also study topics such as extreme reactions to hormonal drugs, such as the psychosis experienced by some patients taking steroids.
Careers in psychoneuroendocrinology usually require attending medical school, although some students may opt for a PhD if they are interested in pure research. Some schools offer an MD/PhD program, which allows students to earn these degrees at the same time. After medical school, physicians may pursue a residency, and advanced fellowships in psychoneuroendocrinology are available at some medical centers. These centers also provide research positions. Many professionals are members of professional organizations, so they may have access to conferences, trade publications and the latest research in the field.
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