Dirty Minds: How Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) and Other Pollutants Affect the Neuroendocrinology of Behavior and Emotions

Thousands of anthropogenic chemicals occupy our bodies and environment, a situation that imperils the health of present and future generations. This chapter focuses on those that influence brain development and socioemotional behaviors. Although the bulk of research on the etiology of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), including autism spectrum disorder and others with social deficits, has overwhelmingly focused on genetics, even the most conservative estimates assign 30–60% of risk to environmental factors. Undoubtedly a confluence of lifestyle, maternal health, and other factors, identifying the type and timing of exposures that contribute to NDD risk is challenging and the integrative nature of the neuroendocrine system means that chemical insults can have multisystem effects making causality difficult to establish. Additionally, because NDDs have sex biases, it is plausible that chemical exposures will also produce sex-specific effects, a phenomenon that is still underappreciated by regulators and classical toxicologists. This chapter summarizes multiple modes of neuroendocrine disruptor action including thyroid disruption which is one of the most common, plus effects on oxytocin and vasopressin systems. Also provided are extensive examples of which chemicals have been most closely linked with NDDs.