Endocrine Disruptors, Brain, and Behavior
Abstract
Hormones play a foundational role in the sex-specific organization of the brain and, consequently, the complex behaviors they coordinate. Our world and bodies are becoming increasingly polluted with chemicals capable of interfering with hormone action and thus, possibly, our neural and mental health. If and how these endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) affect the development and function of the brain, and may be contributing to neural disorders that are rapidly rising in prevalence, are the central concerns of this book. This work also examines why even the concept of endocrine disruption is controversial in some circles; how differing definitions of endocrine disruption and “adverse” outcomes shape public policy; and where the current capacity to evaluate chemicals for safety in a regulatory context begins and ends. Fundamental concepts of the EDC hypothesis, including critical windows of exposure and sexually dimorphic effects, are explained. A historical perspective on how the endocrine disruption hypothesis emerged and a summary of how and to what degree prototypical EDCs affect human brain health are provided as a prelude to a critical evaluation of the evidence linking EDC exposures to human neurobehavioral disorders. The book concludes with suggestions for future research needs and a summary of emerging technology that might prove more capable of effectively evaluating existing and new chemicals for endocrine-disrupting properties. The impossibility of disentangling the “science” of EDC action on the brain and behavior from its public health policy implications and economic influence is comprehensively addressed throughout.
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Daily exposure to EDCs is virtually silent and unceasingly increasing.
“Consequently, daily exposure is virtually silent and unceasingly increasing (12).”
From Endocrine Disruption of Vasopressin Systems and Related Behaviors (2017) · cites this paper as [12]
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Starnes, H. M., Rock, K. D., Jackson, T. W., & Belcher, S. M. (2022) · Frontiers in Toxicology · doi:10.3389/ftox.2022.881584 · Cited by 166 · see citing works
Self-citationEnvironmental Mechanisms of Neurodevelopmental Toxicity
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Self-citationEndocrine Disruption of Vasopressin Systems and Related Behaviors
Patisaul, H. B. (2017) · Frontiers in Endocrinology · doi:10.3389/fendo.2017.00134 · Cited by 54 · see citing works
Self-citationGillera, S. E. A., Marinello, W. P., Horman, B. M., Phillips, A. L., Ruis, M. T., Stapleton, H. M., Reif, D. M., & Patisaul, H. B. (2019) · Neurotoxicology and Teratology · doi:10.1016/j.ntt.2019.106840 · Cited by 48 · see citing works
Self-citationThresholds and Endocrine Disruptors: An Endocrine Society Policy Perspective
DEMENEIX, B. A., Vandenberg, L. N., Ivell, R., & Zoeller, R. T. (2020) · Journal of the Endocrine Society · doi:10.1210/jendso/bvaa085 · Cited by 47 · see citing works
Patisaul, H. B. (2021) · Advances in pharmacology · doi:10.1016/bs.apha.2021.03.007 · Cited by 42 · see citing works
Self-citationComposition and endocrine effects of water collected in the Kibale national park in Uganda
Špirhanzlová, P., Fini, J., DEMENEIX, B. A., Lardy‐Fontan, S., Vaslin-Reimann, S., Lalère, B., Guma, N., Tindall, A. J., & Krief, S. (2019) · Environmental Pollution · doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2019.05.006 · Cited by 39 · see citing works
Neurotoxicants, the Developing Brain, and Mental Health
Cardenas‐Iniguez, C., Burnor, E., & Herting, M. M. (2022) · Biological Psychiatry Global Open Science · doi:10.1016/j.bpsgos.2022.05.002 · Cited by 42 · see citing works
Maradonna, F., Vandenberg, L. N., & Meccariello, R. (2022) · Frontiers in Toxicology · doi:10.3389/ftox.2022.886628 · Cited by 20 · see citing works
Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and placental function: Impact on fetal brain development
Marinello, W. P., & Patisaul, H. B. (2021) · Advances in pharmacology · doi:10.1016/bs.apha.2021.04.003 · Cited by 16 · see citing works
Self-citationGillera, S. E. A., Marinello, W. P., Nelson, M. A., Horman, B. M., & Patisaul, H. B. (2022) · Toxics · doi:10.3390/toxics10050268 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
Self-citationBerntsson, S. G., Reis, J. J., Tülek, Z., Spencer, P. S., Imhoff, M., Joao, M., Lafta, M. S., Najar, Y., Tolf, A., Selander, V., et al. (2024) · Journal of the Neurological Sciences · doi:10.1016/j.jns.2024.123117 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
Vandenberg, L. N., & Pelch, K. E. (2021) · Endocrine Metabolic & Immune Disorders - Drug Targets · doi:10.2174/1871530321666211005163614 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
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Kourkopoulos, A., Sijm, D. T. H. M., Mircheva, A., Bastos, V. C., & Vrolijk, M. F. (2025) · Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology · doi:10.1016/j.yrtph.2025.105816 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Rock, K. D., Starnes, H. M., & Belcher, S. M. (2023) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-824315-2.00420-6 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Self-citationMarinello, W. P., Gillera, S. E. A., Huang, L., Rollman, J., Reif, D. M., & Patisaul, H. B. (2023) · NeuroToxicology · doi:10.1016/j.neuro.2023.10.012 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Self-citationMental Health Disorders Following Exposure to Endocrine Disruptor Chemicals
Ehsanifar, M., Gholami, A., & Esmaeili, A. (2025) · OBM Neurobiology · doi:10.21926/obm.neurobiol.2502285 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Vandenberg, L. N., & Kolla, S. (2018) · doi:10.1093/obo/9780199363445-0104 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Corporate Social Responsibility and Accounting for Externalities
de Lautour, V. J. (2019) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-030-20157-9_3
- Authors
- Patisaul, H. B., & Belcher, S. M.
- Venue
- Oxford Scholarship Online
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Published
- 2017-05-18
- OpenAlex
- W4251073647
- Cited by
- 20
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2025: 2 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 1
- FWCI
- 2.60
- Type
- book
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Oxford University Press eBooks (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Effects and risks of endocrine disrupting chemicals
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Sexual Differentiation and Disorders
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Estrogen and related hormone effects
- Keywords
- endocrine disruptors, brain development, neurobehavioral disorders, hormone action, critical windows of exposure, chemical safety regulation, public health policy, chemical exposure
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