Endocrine disturbances and psychiatric disorders

The possibility of a cause and effect link between endocrinopathies and mental disorders was suggested at the beginning of the last century, but was never demonstrated because of a lack of adequate methodology. Therefore, in the 1960s, psychoneuroendocrinology developed as a methodological approach to assess brain neurotransmitter function indirectly in psychiatric disorders. In the past two decades, however, the initial aeticipathogenetic connection between endocrine disturbances and mental disorders has been re-proposed with new and stronger experimental evidence. The aim of this article is to review the most recent advances suggesting a causative role of endodcrinopathies in some psychiatric disorders, especially major depression, posttraumatic stress disorder and eating disorders. (C) 2001 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.