Grief as a neuroendocrine transition: Insights from perinatal loss

Q: What does this research mean for the field?

Grief, particularly following perinatal loss, functions as a profound neuroendocrine and biological transition rather than solely a psychological experience. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.SYNTHESIS. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.ESTABLISHES_NEW_DIRECTION.

Clare Killikelly; Eva‐Maria Stelzer; Rita T. Amiel Castro

doi:10.1111/jne.70262

September 1, 2026Journal of NeuroendocrinologyOpen Access

Grief as a neuroendocrine transition: Insights from perinatal loss

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Key Points

To examine how grief, particularly following perinatal loss, is biologically and neuroendocrinologically encoded rather than functioning solely as a psychological process.
Conceptual review synthesizing psychological models of grief with neuroendocrine and biological systems.
Theoretical evaluation of attachment loss occurring specifically within the perinatal window.
Attachment loss induces biological and neurological adaptations that extend beyond traditional psychological grief responses.
Perinatal bereavement coincides with distinct biological remodeling, highlighting grief as an embodied neuroendocrine transition.

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Implication

Conceptual review examines biological encoding of attachment loss during the perinatal period, suggesting grief operates as a neuroendocrine transition.

Abstract

Grief is an all‐encompassing human experience that reverberates across mind, brain, and body. Historically, the scientific study of grief has been rooted primarily in psychological frameworks. Pioneering work has begun to elucidate how attachment loss is encoded not only psychologically but also biologically, and this may be particularly significant during the perinatal period.

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Killikelly et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a993653636c6408cfa7f4dd https://doi.org/10.1111/jne.70262

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Grief as a neuroendocrine transition: Insights from perinatal loss

Key Points

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Implication

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Grief as a neuroendocrine transition: Insights from perinatal loss

Key Points

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Implication

Abstract

Discussion

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