Neuroendocrine and Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Neurodevelopmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders

Neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders arise through complex interactions among genetic susceptibility, hormonal signaling, environmental exposures, immune processes, and altered neural circuit development. The neuroendocrine system contributes to the organization and modulation of circuits involved in cognition, emotion, social behavior, motivation, stress responses, and reproduction. Disruptions during sensitive prenatal, early-life, or pubertal windows may produce persistent molecular, cellular, and behavioral changes associated with autism spectrum disorder, schizophrenia, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, depression, and anxiety disorders. Current research highlights the roles of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal, hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal, and hypothalamic–pituitary–thyroid axes, as well as estrogens, androgens, progesterone, glucocorticoids, oxytocin, vasopressin, kisspeptin, leptin, and orexin. However, the mechanisms linking endocrine disruption to sex-specific vulnerability, neural circuit adaptation, and clinical heterogeneity remain incompletely understood. Further investigation is needed to connect molecular and cellular findings with behavioral outcomes, treatment response, and clinically useful biomarkers.



This Research Topic aims to advance understanding of how neuroendocrine and molecular mechanisms influence brain development, neural circuit function, and vulnerability to neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders. Particular emphasis will be placed on the interactions among hormones, neurotransmitters, neuropeptides, intracellular signaling pathways, and gene-regulatory mechanisms. The Topic also seeks to clarify how prenatal and early-life exposures—including pharmacological agents, endocrine-disrupting chemicals, maternal stress, immune activation, and nutritional imbalance—alter neurodevelopmental trajectories. By integrating experimental, translational, and clinical approaches, it aims to identify mechanisms of risk and resilience, explain sex differences in disease presentation and progression, and support the development of biomarkers and more individualized therapeutic strategies.



To gather further insights into the neuroendocrine regulation of brain development and mental health, we welcome contributions addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:



Neuroendocrine mechanisms underlying autism spectrum disorder, schizophrenia, ADHD, depression, and anxiety disorders

Developmental roles of the HPA, HPG, and HPT axes in neural circuit formation and adaptation

Effects of estrogens, androgens, progesterone, glucocorticoids, oxytocin, vasopressin, kisspeptin, leptin, and orexin on brain development and behavior

Interactions among hormones, neurotransmitters, neuropeptides, and intracellular signaling pathways

Epigenetic and gene-regulatory mechanisms linking endocrine signals to neurodevelopment

Contributions of neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and altered immune signaling

Synaptic plasticity, neurogenesis, and glia–neuron communication in neuropsychiatric disease

Effects of prenatal and early-life exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals, medications, maternal stress, immune activation, and nutritional imbalance

Sex differences and sexually differentiated neural circuits in disease susceptibility, progression, and treatment response

Animal models, cellular systems, molecular studies, neuroimaging, and clinical investigations of neuroendocrine mechanisms

Identification and validation of biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis, treatment response, and patient stratification

Neuroendocrine targets and therapeutic approaches for precision psychiatry and personalized neurodevelopmental care