Article

The Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) hypothesis studies the
short- and long-term consequences of the conditions of the developmental
environment for phenotypic variations in health and disease. Central to this
hypothesis is the idea of interdependence of developmental influences, genes, and
environment. Developmental programming effects are mediated by alterations in
fundamental life functions, and the most enduring effects seem to occur if the
main regulatory instances of the organ - the (epi)genome and the brain - are
affected. Some new insights in the role of chromatin, in cellular development and
differentiation, and neural plasticity from the field of epigenetics are
introduced, followed by a section on epigenetics and brain development. It is
proposed to extend the DOHaD hypothesis into the 'Developmental Origins of
Behaviour, Health, and Disease' (DOBHaD) concept. Pregnancy and the early
postnatal period are times of both great opportunity and considerable risk, and
their influence can extend over a lifetime. The DOBHaD hypothesis opens
fundamental new perspectives on preventing diseases and disorders.
CI - (c) The Author. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology (c) 2011 Mac Keith
Press.

Langue : ANGLAIS