Biomarkers in neurodevelopmental toxicology.

Biomarkers in neurodevelopmental toxicology.

Biomarkers in environmental toxicology: state of the art.

Together with many other research-based disciplines, environmental toxicology has profoundly benefited from recent advances in molecular biology and analytical chemistry. As a result of these accomplishments, clinical and experimental studies of biomarkers have developed into a multidisciplinary research area. The IFCC has convened two conferences: to review biomarkers of chemical exposure, in ...

The role of biomarkers in reproductive and developmental toxicology.

A massive outbreak of methylmercury poisoning took place in the winter of 1971-1972 due to the consumption of homemade bread contaminated with a methylmercury fungicide. The longitudinal analysis of the mother's head hair, collected after delivery of the baby, provided a means of recapitulating exposure to methylmercury during pregnancy. Methylmercury is incorporated into newly formed hair at a...

Cord Blood DNA Methylation Biomarkers for Predicting Neurodevelopmental Outcomes

Adverse environmental exposures in pregnancy can significantly alter the development of the fetus resulting in impaired child neurodevelopment. Such exposures can lead to epigenetic alterations like DNA methylation, which may be a marker of poor cognitive, motor and behavioral outcomes in the infant. Here we review studies that have assessed DNA methylation in cord blood following maternal expo...

TOXICOLOGY OF NEURODEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS The role of mercury in the pathogenesis of autism

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder of unknown etiology in most cases. Studies of monozygotic twins report an average 60% concordance rate, indicating a role for both genetic and environmental factors in disease expression. Recent reviews in environmental health have suggested that early exposure to hazardous substances may underlie some cases of neurodevelopmental d...