Environment and central nervous system development (LECTURE)

A wide range of environmental contaminants can interfere with hormonal regulation in vertebrates. These endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are of high relevance for human and wildlife health, since endocrine signalling controls many essential physiological processes which impact on the individual's health, such as growth and development, stress response, and ultimately reproduction and population development. We have comprehensively reviewed exposure-effect data in the brain from different vertebrates. The majority of available data refer to EDCs interfering with reproductive hormones and alter gene expression. However,we have also included interactions with other hormone systems, particularly the thyroid hormones and the antioxidants under steroid control. We demonstrate that the available data clearly indicates the predictive potential of neurodisruption biomarkers