Behavioral Endocrinology Branch

Physician scientists at NIMH are committed to understanding how changes in reproductive hormones trigger mood disorders, why these hormones trigger mood disturbances only in some women, and how the pathogenic mechanisms underlying these disorders translate into novel therapies or novel uses of existing therapies.

Our scientists are working to identify the causes of, treatments for, and predictors of risk for reproductive endocrine-related mood disorders including the following:

• Postpartum Depression
• Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD, a severe premenstrual syndrome)
• Perimenopausal Depression

These are important conditions, and they occur at different stages of a woman’s lifecycle. They are prevalent and are associated with considerable morbidity.

Finally, a new initiative performed in collaboration with investigators within NIMH and NICHHD, we examine the role of growth and pubertal development in normal brain development.