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Hormones and Behaviour: A Psychological Approach. By Nick Neave. Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press, 2008. Pp. x + 355. $115 (hardcover), $45 (paper).
In Hormones and Behaviour:A Psychological Approach, Nick Neave introduces the reader to the fascinating concept of how hormones effect behavior and thus cause an effect in the central nervous system. From an endocrinological point of view, hormones have been extensively studied, however it is only recently that scientists such as Neave have begun to appreciate the impact such hormones can have on behavior.The term hormone was introduced by Bayliss and Starling in 1902 to describe a chemical substance that travels around the body influencing physiology and behavior.Although the concept of a hormone had been understood for many years, this scientific definition was long overdue. It was not until 1921, however, that neurohormones were first identified by Otto Loewi, who won the Nobel Prize for the discovery of what he termed "vagusstuff," or what we now call "acetylcholine." Neurohormones are those hormones produced by the neurosecretory cells, usually located in the brain, that have effects on cells distant from the source of the hormone and that underlie many of the behaviors discussed in this book. Importantly, Neave recognizes that there is a reciprocal relationship between hormones and behavior, in that hormones have an effect on behavior and vice versa. Neave expertly guides the reader through the various types of behavior that hormones play an important role in, such as sexual, emotional, and cognitive behaviors.This book will make engaging reading for individuals interested either in biological psychology or in understanding what controls our behaviors.
Neave begins the book with the necessary introductory chapters on the organization of both the nervous and the endocrine systems. In Chapter 2,"Hormones and the Endocrine System," he provides a good overview of the different types of hormones and their mechanisms of actions. In...