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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2015 Sep 1.
Published in final edited form as: J Neuroendocrinol. 2014 Sep;26(9):613–624. doi: 10.1111/jne.12181

Figure 1. Developmental EDC exposure and possible mechanisms to alter brain and ovarian functions.

Figure 1

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDC) have different mechanism of actions which mediate the final effects on ovarian function. Among them, the most recognized are through activating estrogenic receptors either by binding to them or by modifying estradiol (E2) availability [e.g., E2, bisphenol A, methoxychlor (MXC), di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), diethylstilbestrol]. Other important mechanisms are the antiandrogenic proprieties of some compounds (e.g., MXC and DEHP) and the thyroid modulating effects of others (not reviewed). EDC can directly target the brain or the ovaries due the presence estrogen and androgen receptors in both tissues. However, the mechanisms of regulations between both tissues lead to the possibility that disruption of ovarian physiology affect the brain and vice versa.