title: Maternal Hypothyroxinemia-Induced Neurodevelopmental Impairments in the Progeny.
abstract: Maternal hypothyroxinemia can induce neurodevelopmental impairments in the developing fetus. We here review recent studies on the epidemiology and molecular mechanisms associated with this important public health issue. In 2011, the American Thyroid Association defined maternal hypothyroxinemia as low serum free thyroxine (FT4) levels (<5th or <10th percentile) existing in conjunction with normal serum free triiodothyronine (FT3) or thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels during pregnancy. Compared to clinical or subclinical hypothyroidism, hypothyroxinemia is more commonly found in pregnant women. Hypothyroxinemia usually ensues in response to several factors, such as mild iodine deficiency, environmental endocrine disrupters, or certain thyroid diseases. Unequivocal evidence demonstrates that maternal hypothyroxinemia leads to negative effects on fetal brain development, increasing the risks for cognitive deficits and poor psychomotor development in resulting progeny. In support of this, rodent models provide direct evidence of neurodevelopmental damage induced by maternal hypothyroxinemia, including dendritic and axonal growth limitation, neural abnormal location, and synaptic function alteration. The neurodevelopmental impairments induced by hypothyroxinemia suggest an independent role of T4. Increasing evidence indicates that adequate thyroxine is required for the mothers in order to protect against the abnormal brain development in their progeny.
authors: Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, China Medical University, No.77 Puhe Road, Shenyang North New Area, Shenyang, 110013, People's Republic of China.|Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Endocrine Diseases, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, People's Republic of China.
authors: Hui
authors: H
authors: Min
authors: Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, China Medical University, No.77 Puhe Road, Shenyang North New Area, Shenyang, 110013, People's Republic of China.|Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Endocrine Diseases, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, People's Republic of China.
authors: Jing
authors: J
authors: Dong
authors: Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, China Medical University, No.77 Puhe Road, Shenyang North New Area, Shenyang, 110013, People's Republic of China.|Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Endocrine Diseases, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, People's Republic of China.
authors: Yi
authors: Y
authors: Wang
authors: Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, China Medical University, No.77 Puhe Road, Shenyang North New Area, Shenyang, 110013, People's Republic of China.|Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Endocrine Diseases, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, People's Republic of China.
authors: Yuan
authors: Y
authors: Wang
authors: Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Endocrine Diseases, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, People's Republic of China.
authors: Weiping
authors: W
authors: Teng
authors: Department of Physiology, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, 38163, USA. cmuqixi@hotmail.com.
authors: Qi
authors: Q
authors: Xi
authors: Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, China Medical University, No.77 Puhe Road, Shenyang North New Area, Shenyang, 110013, People's Republic of China. chenjie@mail.cmu.edu.cn.|Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Endocrine Diseases, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, People's Republic of China. chenjie@mail.cmu.edu.cn.
authors: Jie
authors: J
authors: Chen
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000196:embryology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology; D007455:Iodine / Q000172:deficiency; D065886:Neurodevelopmental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D064887:Observational Studies as Topic; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D013963:Thyroid Hormones / Q000502:physiology; D013967:Thyroiditis, Autoimmune / Q000503:physiopathology; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000097:blood / Q000172:deficiency*
chemical_list: D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D013963:Thyroid Hormones; D007455:Iodine; D013974:Thyroxine
keywords: Cognition; Hypothyroxinemia; Neurodevelopment; Pregnancy; Psychomotor development