What is it about?
In mammals maternal behavior affects physical, neuroendocrine and behavioral development of offspring, including children. How mothers mother is regulated by many different factors but can be altered by exposure to stress and hormonally active compounds, such as Endocrine disrupting chemicals.
Featured Image
Why is it important?
The high plasticity of maternal behavior provide a direct, flexible link between the dam and the pups to achieve successful reproduction. By disrupting the delicate balance of early mother-infant interactions, Endocrine disrupting Chemicals, such as the plastic components BPA and its substitutes, may be shaping evolutionary change in a increasingly contaminated world
Perspectives
Endocrine disrupting chemicals have been shown to disrupt maternal behavior in different species of rodents. Considering the extent to which early developmental periods and proper maternal care affects development of offspring, including children, disruption of maternal behavior should be cause of concern for public health.
Dr Paola Palanza
University of Parma
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: The “Plastic” Mother, Endocrinology, March 2017, Endocrine Society,
DOI: 10.1210/en.2017-00071.
You can read the full text:
Contributors
The following have contributed to this page
