Neuroendocrinology with its well-defined functions, inputs, and outputs, is one of the most fertile grounds for computational modeling in neuroscience. But modeling is often seen as something of a dark art. This book aims to display the power of modeling approaches in neuroendocrinology, and to showcase its potential for understanding these complex systems. A recurring theme in neuroendocrinology is rhythms. How are rhythms generated, and what purpose do they serve? Are these two questions inextricably intertwined? This book is written for innocents, presuming no math beyond high school or computing beyond calculators. It seeks to lead the curious into the thinking of the modeler, providing the tools to the reader to understand models, and even develop their own, giving life to paper diagrams. The diverse chapters, from ion channels to networks, systems, and hormonal rhythms, each tell the story of a model serving to join the hard-won dots of experimentation, mapping a new understanding, and revealing hidden knowledge.
