Two-hit exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls at gestational and juvenile life stages: 1. Sexually dimorphic effects on social and anxiety-like behaviors.

ABSTRACT: Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are widespread environmental contaminants that affect many neuroendocrine functions. The brain is particularly vulnerable to EDCs during critical periods of gestational development when gonadal hormones exert organizational effects on sexually dimorphic behaviors later in life. Peripubertal development is also a time of continued neural sensitivity to organizing effects of hormones, yet little is known about EDC actions at these times. We sought to determine effects of prenatal or juvenile exposures to a class of EDCs, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) at human-relevant dosages on development, physiology, and social and anxiety-related behaviors later in life, and the consequences of a second juvenile "hit" following prenatal treatment. We exposed male

SUBMITTER: Bell MR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4718783 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature