Hormone-dependent brain development and neuroendocrine prophylaxis.

Abstract

During the pre- and/or early postnatal life, systemic hormones and neurotransmitters are acting as organizers of the brain, which is the controller of the neuro-endocrine-immune system. Thus, the quantity of systemic hormones and neurotransmitters codetermines during critical periods of brain development the quality, i.e., the responsiveness, of their own central nervous controllers and hence the functional and tolerance ranges of their own feedback control systems throughout life. Abnormal levels of systemic hormones and neurotransmitters, which can be induced by abnormal conditions in the psychosocial and/or natural environment, can act as teratogens and lead to permanent physiological and/or psychological dysfunctions in later life. Thus, many deviations and malfunctions of reproduction, metabolism, information processing and immunity called up to now idiopathic, essential, cryptogenic, primary or genuine can be explained by abnormal pre- and/or early postnatal psycho- and/or physiological processes. Therefore, "structural teratology" (teratomorphology) was supplemented by "functional teratology" (teratopsychophysiology). Such deviations, dysfunctions or diseases based on abnormal brain development can widely be prevented either by optimizing the psychosocial and/or natural environment or by well-timed correcting abnormal concentrations of systemic hormones and/or neurotransmitters.