Mental Health, Stress & Psychoneuroendocrinology
Session Overview
The intricate interplay between mental health, stress physiology, and neuroendocrine regulation forms a foundational axis in women’s health. Emotional well-being, stress resilience, and mood disorders are profoundly influenced by hormonal fluctuations across the reproductive lifespan and by the responsiveness of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. This session integrates psychiatric, endocrine, and neuroscientific perspectives to examine the biological mechanisms linking stress, hormones, and mental states, and to explore implications for diagnosis and management across key life stages.
Why This Session Matters Now
There is a growing recognition that mental health conditions in women cannot be fully understood without considering their neuroendocrine context. The distinct patterns of mood disorders associated with reproductive transitions—such as the perinatal period and perimenopause—highlight the critical role of hormonal change. Simultaneously, chronic stress and HPA axis dysregulation are increasingly implicated in the pathophysiology of both psychiatric and metabolic conditions. This session addresses the need to bridge clinical psychiatry with endocrinology, fostering a more holistic and mechanistically informed approach to women’s mental health care.
Key Scientific and Clinical Themes
Perinatal and Postpartum Mental Health Disorders
Examination of the neuroendocrine shifts of pregnancy and the postpartum period, their contribution to mood and anxiety disorders, and strategies for screening, prevention, and treatment during this vulnerable window.
Menstrual Cycle–Related Mood Disorders
Focus on the psychological impact of hormonal fluctuations across the menstrual cycle, including premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), and the neurobiological mechanisms underlying cyclic mood changes.
Psychological Impact of Infertility and Reproductive Loss
Discussion of the significant emotional and psychological burden associated with infertility, pregnancy loss, and the complex interplay between reproductive challenges, stress hormones, and mental health.
Stress Physiology and HPA Axis Dysregulation
Exploration of the biological pathways of the stress response, individual differences in HPA axis reactivity, and their long-term implications for vulnerability to mood, anxiety, and stress-related disorders in women.
Sleep, Circadian Rhythms, and Neuroendocrine Health
Analysis of the bidirectional relationships between sleep architecture, circadian hormone secretion, and mental health, with a focus on sleep disturbances as both a cause and consequence of neuroendocrine imbalance.
Midlife and Menopause-Related Mental Health Changes
Consideration of the contribution of perimenopausal hormonal fluctuations, particularly in estrogen, to changes in mood, cognition, and anxiety, and the evaluation of hormonally-informed treatment strategies.
Nature of Research in This Field
Research in psychoneuroendocrinology is inherently interdisciplinary, requiring methodologies from clinical psychology, neuroendocrinology, and chronobiology. It is characterized by longitudinal studies tracking hormonal and mood changes, experimental stress paradigms, and trials of hormonally-modulated interventions. The field grapples with the complexity of measuring subjective mental states alongside objective endocrine markers, driving innovation in biomarker discovery and integrative study designs.
Who Should Attend
This session is designed for:
- Psychiatrists, psychologists, and mental health clinicians specializing in women’s health
- Reproductive endocrinologists and obstetrician-gynecologists
- Neuroscientists and researchers in stress biology and neuroendocrinology
- Sleep medicine specialists and chronobiologists
- Primary care providers managing the intersection of mental and physical health
Session Perspective
Mental health is not separate from hormonal health; it is a vital expression of it. This session provides a platform to dissect the continuous dialogue between the brain and the endocrine system. By moving beyond symptom-based diagnosis to incorporate an understanding of underlying neuroendocrine mechanisms, the discussion aims to advance more personalized, effective, and preventative strategies for supporting mental well-being throughout the dynamic hormonal life course of women.
If your research aligns with this session, we invite you to submit an abstract for consideration.
