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Current evidence for the roles of early-life endocrine disruptors on pubertal timing in girls

Authors :
Jeong Eun Lee
Hae Woon Jung
Yun Jeong Lee
Young Ah Lee
Source :
Annals of Pediatric Endocrinology & Metabolism, Vol 24, Iss 2, Pp 78-91 (2019)
Publication Year :
2019
Publisher :
Korean Society of Pediatric Endocrinology, 2019.

Abstract

Over the last decades, the onset of puberty in girls has occurred earlier, but the tempo of pubertal progression has been relatively slower, resulting in a younger age at puberty onset without a change in age at menarche. Sufficient energy availability and adiposity contribute to early pubertal development, and environmental factors, such as endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), may affect not only the control of energy balance, but also puberty and reproduction. EDCs are hormonally active substances that can perturb puberty by acting both peripherally on target organs, such as adipose tissue or adrenal glands, and/or centrally on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. Depending on whether the exposure takes place earlier during fetal and neonatal life or later during early childhood, EDCs can lead to different outcomes through different mechanisms. Evidence of associations between exposures to EDCs and altered pubertal timing makes it reasonable to support their relationship. However, human epidemiologic data are limited or inconsistent and cannot provide sufficient evidence for a causal relationship between EDC exposure and changes in pubertal timing. Further investigation is warranted to determine the overall or different effects of EDCs exposure during prenatal or childhood windows on pubertal milestones and to reveal the underlying mechanisms, including epigenetic marks, whereby early-life exposure to EDCs affect the HPG-peripheral tissue axis.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
22871012 and 22871292
Volume :
24
Issue :
2
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Annals of Pediatric Endocrinology & Metabolism
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.b1a79c13025847a1adb2f3c1d7ef055f
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.6065/apem.2019.24.2.78