Research progress on the correlation between early life adversity and the puberty initiation

Abstract

Earlier onset of puberty has become a worldwide trend. A large number of epidemiologic and animal experiment evidences have indicated that environmental changes in the early life may influence development plasticity and cause structural and functional changes, which are correlated with adult chronic diseases. The impact of fluctuations n environmental factors on the reproductive phenotype of offspring has been well concerned in recent years. This review summarizes the influences of nutritional state, endocrine disrupting chemicals, hormonal perturbation and stressful events during the prenatal and early childhood on the puberty initiation, especially neuroendocrine changes in puberty, thus providing a new idea for the prevention and control of pubertal disorders.