Going beyond step-by-step descriptions of how to perform techniques, Methods in Neuroendocrinology examines the questions being asked in the field, including what problems need to be solved and what the limits of interpretation are. The experimental approaches described in this book merge endocrine and neuroscientific research and offer insight into the many disciplines involved. Much more than a "cookbook," this is a resource for every researcher who wants to pursue new areas of inquiry in the science of neuroendocrinology. The research methodology outlined addresses four main questions: (1) What are the cellular and molecular mechanisms responsible for the synthesis and secretion of hormones? (2) How do other cells influence neuroendocrine control mechanisms? (3) How do hormones signal their neuroendocrine regulatory neurons? (4) How can we use hormones as indicators of specific changes in neuroendocrine control sites in the brain?