Endocrine Disruptors
Endocrine Disruptors
Endocrine Disruptors
Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that may interfere with the body's endocrine system and produce adverse developmental, reproductive, neurological, and immune effects in both humans and wildlife. The endocrine system is composed of a complex set of glands, hormones, and cell receptors that maintain the body's homeostasis, or internal balance. It controls a range of biological processes, from metabolism to growth, to reproductive cycles.
Mechanisms of Action:
Endocrine disruptors can interfere with hormone action in several ways:
Mimicking Naturally Occurring Hormones: Like estrogens (the female sex hormone) or androgens (the male sex hormone), which can lock on to receptors within a cell and block the body's natural hormones from doing so.
Blocking Hormonal Signals: Essentially preventing certain hormonal messages from being received.
Interfering with the Way Natural Hormones or Their Receptors are Made or Controlled: For instance, by altering their metabolism in the liver.
Common Endocrine Disruptors:
Some of the widely recognized endocrine disruptors include:
Dioxin and Dioxin-like Compounds: Often found as contaminants in food and the environment.
Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs): Once used in electrical equipment, PCBs can still be found in older products and certain fish.
Bisphenol A (BPA): Used in making polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins, which can be found in many food and drink packaging systems.
Phthalates: Used in some plastic and vinyl products, as well as personal care products like lotions and fragrances.
Pesticides: Some pesticides, like DDT (though banned in many countries, residues remain in some foods).
Perchlorate: A component of rocket fuel that contaminates water and produce.
Potential Health Effects:
Exposure to endocrine disruptors, particularly during critical developmental periods (like fetal development), can lead to a wide variety of health issues, including:
Reproductive problems.
Immune system issues.
Nervous system effects.
Increased susceptibility to cancer.
Developmental anomalies.
Impaired neural network and cognitive function.
Reducing Exposure:
While it's challenging to avoid endocrine disruptors entirely, individuals can take steps to minimize their exposure:
Limiting Consumption of Canned Foods: This reduces exposure to BPA if the can lining contains it.
Checking Plastics: Not all plastics contain endocrine disruptors, but being aware of the types of plastics and their uses can help. For instance, plastics labeled with recycle codes 3 (phthalates) or 7 (BPA, unless specified otherwise) may contain endocrine disruptors.
Eating Organic or Pesticide-Free Foods: This can reduce exposure from pesticides.
Using Glass, Stainless Steel, or Ceramic Containers for Foods and Beverages: Especially when heating, as some plastics can leach chemicals into food when microwaved.
Research and Regulation:
Research on endocrine disruptors and their effects is ongoing. Regulatory agencies in various countries are evaluating and, in some cases, restricting the use of certain chemicals found to act as endocrine disruptors. However, given the sheer number of chemicals in commerce and potential interactions between them, understanding the full scope of health risks and regulating them appropriately is complex.
Neuroscience 2023 and Artificial Intelligence
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(generated by ChatGPT):
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Antropologia Amerindia América Latina
Newborn Behavioral Observation
"Muscle matters: from human disease to human performance"
Transgenerational memories of trauma - epigenetic, physiological and mental health factors
Efeito de Realidade Virtual e Gamificação no Aprendizado
Vida moderna, Ritmos Biológicos, Sono, Homeostasia Fisiológica e Processos Cognitivos
Long-term cognitive and emotional impairments associated to hypercholesterolemia
Short- and long-term effects of ethanol on astrocyte functioning
Caffeine effects on brain development
Obesidade do neurodesenvolvimento ao envelhecimento
Repercussões fisiológicas e celulares da exposição aos pesticidas em períodos críticos do desenvolvimento
Distúrbios do Crescimento Celular
Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Nutrition
Cancer as a developmental disease
Scientific Question and Experimental Design
Epilepsy Neuroscience and Perception
Active Learning to Improve Engagement
The molecular basis of Exercise-induced skeletal muscle mitochondrial biogenesis
Neurochemical Underpinnings of Psychedelic-Induced Ego Dissolution
Recent advances in the neuroendocrine control of hydromineral homeostasis
Psychoneuroimmunology Immunoneuroendocrine interactions
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Variabilidade da frequência cardíaca como marcador da integração neurovisceral
Inteligência artificial, psicodélicos, e saúde mental
Efeitos do isolamento social e do enriquecimento ambiental na plasticidade do sistema nervoso
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Cellular and molecular networks underlying psychiatric disorders
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O que sabemos hoje sobre as expressões faciais na psicopatia?
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As bases neurobiológicas da aprendizagem e memória
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