Hormonal imprinting in the central nervous system: causes and consequences

Abstract

The notion of the perinatal „hormonal imprinting” has been published at first in 1980 and since that time it spred expansively. The imprintig develops at the first encounter between the developing receptor and the target hormone – possibly by the alteration of the methylation pattern of DNA – and it is transmitted to the progeny generations of the cell. This is needed for the complete development of the receptor’s binding capacity. However, molecules similar to the target hormone (hormone-analogues, drugs, chemicals, environmental pollutants) can also bind to the developing receptor, causing faulty imprinting with life-long consequences. This can promote pathological conditions. Later it was cleared that in other critical periods such as puberty, imprinting also can be provoked, even in any age in differentiating cells. The central nervous system (brain) also can be mistakenly imprinted, which durably influences the dopaminergic, serotonergic and noradrenergic system and this can be manifested – in animal experiments – in alterations of the sexual and social behavior. In our modern age the faulty hormonal imprintig is inavoidable because of the mass of medicaments, chemicals, the presence of hormone-like materials (e.g. soya phytosteroids) in the food, and environmental pollutants. The author especially emphasizes the danger of oxytocin, as a perinatal imprinter, as it is used very broadly and can basically influence the emotional and social spheres and the appearance of certain diseases such as auitism, schizophrenia and parkinsonism. The danger of perinatal imprinters is growing, considering their effects on the human evolution. Orv. Hetil., 2013, 154, 128–135.