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The parental brain and behavior: A target for endocrine disruption
Matthieu Keller1, Laura N Vandenberg2, Thierry D Charlier3
1Laboratoire de Physiologie de la Reproduction & des Comportements, UMR 7247 INRA/CNRS/Université de Tours/IFCE, Nouzilly, France.
Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology
|May 22, 2019
Summary
Pregnancy hormones reorganize the maternal brain for infant care. Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) can disrupt this process, potentially leading to maladaptive maternal behavior and requiring further research.
Area of Science:
- Neuroendocrinology
- Developmental Neuroscience
- Behavioral Biology
Background:
- Pregnancy involves hormonal shifts that reorganize the maternal brain.
- Specific brain regions, including those involved in motivation and caregiving, are affected.
- These changes prepare the mother for postpartum care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the impact of hormonal changes during pregnancy on maternal brain reorganization.
- To discuss the potential effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) on maternal brain and behavior.
- To emphasize the need for further research in this area.
Main Methods:
- Review of hormonal influences on maternal brain plasticity.
- Discussion of neurobiological mechanisms underlying maternal behavior.
- Identification of knowledge gaps regarding EDC effects on maternal neurobiology.
Main Results:
- Pregnancy hormones (progesterone, estradiol, prolactin, oxytocin, placental lactogens) orchestrate maternal brain reorganization.
- Specific brain areas (medial preoptic area, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, motivation network) undergo significant changes.
- Disruptions to hormonal patterns, particularly by EDCs, may lead to maladaptive maternal behaviors.
Conclusions:
- The maternal brain undergoes critical reorganization during pregnancy due to a specific hormonal schedule.
- Endocrine disrupting chemicals pose a potential threat to maternal brain development and function.
- Further investigation is crucial to understand EDC-induced disruptions in maternal neurobiology and behavior.
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