Developmental toxicity
It is the structural or functional alteration, reversible or irreversible, which interferes with homeostasis, normal growth, differentiation, development or behavior.
More factors causing developmental toxicity are radiation, infections (e.g. rubella), maternal metabolic imbalances (e.g. alcoholism, diabetes, folic acid deficiency), drugs (e.g. anticancer drugs, tetracyclines, many hormones, thalidomide), and environmental chemicals (e.g. mercury, lead, dioxins, PBDEs, HBCD, tobacco smoke).In addition, it is the study of adverse effects on the development of the organism that can result from exposure to toxic agents before conception, during fetal development, or even following birth.
Certain pathogens are also included since the toxins they secrete are known to cause adverse effects on the development of the organism when the mother or fetus is infected.
The effect of the developmental toxicants depends on the type of substance, dose, duration, and time of the exposure.
Once fertilization has taken place, the toxicants in the environment can pass through the mother to the developing embryo or fetus across the placental barrier.
Developmental disorders can include a wide range of physical abnormalities, such as bone or organ deformities, or behavioral and learning problems, such as an intellectual disability.
Exposure to toxicants during the second and third trimesters of a pregnancy can lead to slow fetal growth and result in low birth weight.
Toxicology research is the study of the adverse effects of chemicals or physical agents on living organisms.
Orfila, a 19th-century Spanish physician and scientist, is a founder of modern toxicology that autopsied poison victims to evaluate target organ specific effects (liver, kidney, GI track, brain, etc.).
[3] This type of specific research that looks for malformations in fetal development is called Developmental and Reproductive Toxicology (DART) Testing for developmental toxicant is done in different stages: DART is the specific research of looking for malformations from the toxicity of chemicals, medications, pesticides, dietary supplements, etc.
These malformations can be anything from behaviors, intellect, sexual maturity such as testicular development, vaginal opening, and the ability to reproduce.
The effects of toxicity are:[citation needed] One of the first environmentally induced congenital malformations in humans were recognized as a result of maternal irradiation.
These societies provide a safe space for Thalidomide survivors to freely share their stories and rally together to fight for social change as well as enforce strict laws on drug testing and control.
[12] Extent of effect depends on exposure frequency, dose and rate of ethanol elimination from amniotic fluid.
Research indicates that ethanol interferes with critical cell signaling pathways, leading to altered brain structure and function, particularly affecting the corpus callosum, hippocampus, and cerebellum.
Currently, DES is known to increase the risk of breast cancer, and cause a variety of birth-related adverse outcomes exposed female offsprings such as spontaneous abortion, second-trimester pregnancy loss, preterm delivery, stillbirth, neonatal death, sub/infertility and cancer of reproductive tissues.
[16] Methylmercury and inorganic mercury is excreted in human breast milk and infants are particularly susceptible to toxicity due to this compound.
[18] Mercury causes damage to the nervous system resulting from prenatal or early postnatal exposure and is very likely to be permanent.
[19] It is an organophosphate insecticide that acts on the nervous system of insects by inhibiting acetylcholinesterase but are moderately toxic to humans.
These chemicals can act as a part of developmental toxicity because they can alter hormonal pathways in the endocrine system, leading to negative health effects.
