People Management and Neuroendocrine Balance: Development of the Occupational Biochemical Roadmap (ROBO) for Integrated Mental Health
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33448/rsd-v15i2.50676Keywords:
Neuroendocrine Balance, People Management, Circadian Rhythm, Neurotransmitters, Integrated Mental Health, Occupational Biochemical Routine (OBR).Abstract
This article aims to develop the Occupational Biochemical Roadmap (OBR), a protocol that translates the rigor of neuroscience into the practice of People Management. It is observed that mental health in the workplace faces increasing challenges due to chronic stress and disruption of the circadian rhythm, aggravated by hyperconnectivity and intense work demands. Traditional People Management models often neglect the physiological basis of resilience and performance. This study, through an integrative literature review, proposes to integrate neuroendocrine knowledge into People Management, focusing on key chemical messengers (hormones such as cortisol, melatonin, and oxytocin; neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin, and GABA) that regulate relevant physiological axes: stress/adaptation, recovery/circadian rhythm, plasticity/cognition, and socio-emotional/vigor. The Occupational Biochemical Routine (OBR) was developed, a daily protocol based on consolidated scientific evidence, which includes practices such as active breaks for endorphin release and GABA/glutamate balance, and social interactions for oxytocin modulation. The OBR aims to optimize neuroendocrine resilience, promoting healthier and more productive workers, with organizational benefits. However, as a conceptual model, it requires future empirical validation through studies with biomarkers.
References
Başer, K., et al. (2025). Molecular Links Between Circadian Rhythm Dysruption, Melatonin, and Neurodegenerative Diseases: An Updated Review. Molecules.
Blume, C., Garbazza, C., & Spitschan, M. (2019). Effects of light on human circadian rhythms, sleep and mood. Somnologie, 23(3), 147–156. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11818-019-00215-x
Bulgakova, S., et al. (2020). The Participation of Hormones in the Processes of Cognitive and Socio-Emotional Aging.
Carter, C. Sue. (2014). Oxytocin pathways and the evolution of human behavior. Annual Review of Psychology, v. 65, p. 17–39.
Chan, H. K. C. (2025). Circadian Rhythms and Memory: Exploring the Mechanisms of Synaptic Plasticity, Hormonal Modulation, and Cognitive Function. Theoretical and Natural Science.
Chen, Y., et al. (2025). Melatonin Regulates Glymphatic Function to Affect Cognitive Deficits... CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics.
Cooper, H. M. (1989). Integrating research: A guide for literature reviews (2nd ed.). Sage Publications.
de Kloet, E. D., et al. (2023). The cortisol switch between vulnerability and resilience. Molecular Psychiatry, 28(1), 1-13.
Estrada-Rojo, F., et al. (2020). Circadian variations of neurotransmitters in the brain – Its importance for neuroprotection. Revista Mexicana de Neurociencia, 21(3), 299-307.
Gao, X., et al. (2023). Melatonin protects HT-22 cells against palmitic acid-induced glucolipid metabolic dysfunction... Biochemical pharmacology, 210, 115456.
Jacobs, Barry L.; Fornal, Carolyn A. (1990). Serotonin and behavior: a general hypothesis. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 14(2), 219–224.
Martinez-Moral, M., et al. (2025). A method for simultaneous analysis of urinary melatonin, cortisol, and their metabolites... Talanta.
Megha, K. B., et al. (2024). Significance of Melatonin in the Regulation of Circadian Rhythms and Disease Management. Molecular Neurobiology, 61(1), 17-30.
Naoi, M., et al. (2025). Phytochemicals Modulate Biosynthesis and Function of Serotonin, Dopamine, and Norepinephrine... International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 26(3), 2115.
Paulino, R. D., & Rodrigues, A. P. F. (2025). Espiritualidade e Saúde Mental no Contexto Organizacional: Estudo Introdutório Interdisciplinar entre Administração e Ciências das Religiões. Contemporânea: Contemporary Journal, 5(6), 1-42.
Pereira, A. S. et al. (2018). Metodologia da pesquisa científica. Santa Maria. Editora da UFSM.
Prodanov, C. C., & Freitas, E. C. (2013). Metodologia do trabalho científico: métodos e técnicas da pesquisa e do trabalho acadêmico (2nd ed.). Feevale.
Ring, M. (2025). An Integrative Approach to HPA Axis Dysfunction: From Recognition to Recovery. The American journal of medicine, 138(3), 253-255.
Risemberg, R. I. C., Wakin, M., & Shitsuka, R. (2026). A importância da metodologia científica no desenvolvimento de artigos científicos. E-Acadêmica. 7(1), e0171675. https://eacademica.org/eacademica/article/view/675.
Sarena, P., et al. (2022). Chronic Light-Distorted Glutamate-Cortisol Signaling, Behavioral and Histological Markers, and Induced Oxidative Stress and Dementia: An Amelioration by Melatonin. ACS chemical neuroscience, 13(24), 3326-3336.
Socaciu, A., et al. (2020). Melatonin, an ubiquitous metabolic regulator... Reviews in Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders, 21(2), 245-256.
Suárez-Trujillo, A., et al. (2022). Effect of circadian system disruption on the concentration and daily oscillations of cortisol, progesterone, melatonin, serotonin... Journal of dairy science, 105(7), 5898-5908.
Vasey, C., et al. (2021). Circadian Rhythm Dysregulation and Restoration: The Role of Melatonin. Nutrients, 13(7), 2351.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Raissa Dália Paulino, Ricardo Moreira da Silva, Evandro Brandão de Oliveira, Ionete Cavalcanti de Moraes, Lindalva Silva Correia
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
1) Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
2) Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
3) Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work.
