FREE NEJM E-TOC    HOME   |   SUBSCRIBE   |   CURRENT ISSUE   |   PAST ISSUES   |   COLLECTIONS   |   Search Term  Advanced Search

Sign in | Get NEJM's E-Mail Table of Contents — Free | Subscribe

Previous Volume 359:61-73 July 3, 2008 Number 1 Next

	Since this article has no abstract, we have provided an extract of the first 100 words of the full text and any section headings.

	Full Text PDF PDA Full Text PowerPoint Slide Set Purchase this article Letters Add to Personal Archive Add to Citation Manager Notify a Friend E-mail When Cited E-mail When Letters Appear PubMed Citation

A long latency period between an environmental trigger and the onset of subsequent disease is widely recognized in the etiology of certain cancers, yet this phenomenon is not generally considered in the etiology of other conditions such as cardiovascular disease, metabolic disease, or osteoporosis. However, many lines of evidence, including epidemiologic data and data from extensive clinical and experimental studies, indicate that early life events play a powerful role in influencing later susceptibility to certain chronic diseases. An increased understanding of developmental plasticity (defined as the ability of an organism to develop in various ways, depending on the particular environment . . . [Full Text of this Article]

Epidemiologic and Clinical Observations

Physiological, Cellular, and Molecular Bases of Developmental Plasticity

Integrated Responses

Experimental Data Relevant to Human Disease

Epigenetic Mechanisms

Reversibility

Developmental Plasticity and Later Disease

Heritable Environmental Influences

Medical and Public Health Implications

Conclusions

Source Information

From the Liggins Institute, University of Auckland, and National Research Centre for Growth and Development, Auckland, New Zealand (P.D.G.); Institute of Developmental Sciences, University of Southampton (M.A.H.), and Medical Research Council Epidemiology Resource Centre, University of Southampton (C.C.) — both in Southampton, United Kingdom; and Heart Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland (K.L.T.).

Address reprint requests to Dr. Gluckman at the Liggins Institute, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand, or at pd.gluckman@auckland.ac.nz.

Related Letters:

In Utero and Early-Life Conditions and Adult Health and Disease
Grandjean P., Heindel J. J., Marengoni A., Winblad B., Fratiglioni L., Been J. V., Kramer B. W., Zimmermann L. J.I., Gluckman P. D., Hanson M. A., Cooper C.
Extract | Full Text | PDF  
N Engl J Med 2008; 359:1523-1524, Oct 2, 2008. Correspondence

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Kyriakakou, M., Malamitsi-Puchner, A., Mastorakos, G., Boutsikou, T., Hassiakos, D., Papassotiriou, I., Kanaka-Gantenbein, C. (2009). The Role of IGF-1 and Ghrelin in the Compensation of Intrauterine Growth Restriction. Reproductive Sciences 16: 1193-1200 [Abstract]  
• von Ehrenstein, O. S., Mikolajczyk, R. T., Zhang, J. (2009). Timing and Trajectories of Fetal Growth Related to Cognitive Development in Childhood. Am J Epidemiol 170: 1388-1395 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Tobi, E. W., Lumey, L.H., Talens, R. P., Kremer, D., Putter, H., Stein, A. D., Slagboom, P. E., Heijmans, B. T. (2009). DNA methylation differences after exposure to prenatal famine are common and timing- and sex-specific. Hum Mol Genet 18: 4046-4053 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Behrman, J. R, Calderon, M. C, Preston, S. H, Hoddinott, J., Martorell, R., Stein, A. D (2009). Nutritional supplementation in girls influences the growth of their children: prospective study in Guatemala. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 90: 1372-1379 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Jones, H. N., Jansson, T., Powell, T. L. (2009). IL-6 stimulates system A amino acid transporter activity in trophoblast cells through STAT3 and increased expression of SNAT2. Am. J. Physiol. Cell Physiol. 297: C1228-C1235 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Wise, P. H. (2009). Confronting Social Disparities in Child Health: A Critical Appraisal of Life-Course Science and Research. Pediatrics 124: S203-S211 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Tehranifar, P., Liao, Y., Flom, J. D., Terry, M. B. (2009). Validity of Self-reported Birth Weight by Adult Women: Sociodemographic Influences and Implications for Life-Course Studies. Am J Epidemiol 170: 910-917 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Bezruchka, S. (2009). The effect of economic recession on population health. CMAJ 181: 281-285 [Full Text]  
• Miller, G. E., Chen, E., Fok, A. K., Walker, H., Lim, A., Nicholls, E. F., Cole, S., Kobor, M. S. (2009). Low early-life social class leaves a biological residue manifested by decreased glucocorticoid and increased proinflammatory signaling. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 106: 14716-14721 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Risnes, K. R, Nilsen, T. I L, Romundstad, P. R, Vatten, L. J (2009). Head size at birth and long-term mortality from coronary heart disease. Int J Epidemiol 38: 955-962 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Sipido, K. R., Tedgui, A., Kristensen, S. D., Pasterkamp, G., Schunkert, H., Wehling, M., Steg, P. G., Eisert, W., Rademakers, F., Casadei, B., Fuster, V., Cerbai, E., Hasenfuss, G., Fernandez-Aviles, F., Garcia-Dorado, D., Vidal, M., Hallen, M., Dambrauskaite, V. (2009). Identifying needs and opportunities for advancing translational research in cardiovascular disease. Cardiovasc Res 83: 425-435 [Full Text]  
• Meeker, J. D., Sathyanarayana, S., Swan, S. H. (2009). Phthalates and other additives in plastics: human exposure and associated health outcomes. Phil Trans R Soc B 364: 2097-2113 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Zhang, Z. X., Plassman, B. L., Xu, Q., Zahner, G.E.P., Wu, B., Gai, M. Y., Wen, H. B., Chen, X., Gao, S., Hu, D., Xiao, X. H., Shen, Y., Liu, A. M., Xu, T. (2009). Lifespan influences on mid- to late-life cognitive function in a Chinese birth cohort. Neurology 73: 186-194 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Sitras, V., Paulssen, R., Leirvik, J., Vartun, A., Acharya, G. (2009). Placental Gene Expression Profile in Intrauterine Growth Restriction Due to Placental Insufficiency. Reproductive Sciences 16: 701-711 [Abstract]  
• Homburg, R. (2009). Androgen circle of polycystic ovary syndrome. Hum Reprod 24: 1548-1555 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Cetin, I., Berti, C., Calabrese, S. (2009). Role of micronutrients in the periconceptional period. Hum Reprod Update 0: dmp025v1-dmp025 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Freathy, R. M., Bennett, A. J., Ring, S. M., Shields, B., Groves, C. J., Timpson, N. J., Weedon, M. N., Zeggini, E., Lindgren, C. M., Lango, H., Perry, J. R.B., Pouta, A., Ruokonen, A., Hypponen, E., Power, C., Elliott, P., Strachan, D. P., Jarvelin, M.-R., Smith, G. D., McCarthy, M. I., Frayling, T. M., Hattersley, A. T. (2009). Type 2 Diabetes Risk Alleles Are Associated With Reduced Size at Birth. Diabetes 58: 1428-1433 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Chan, J. C. N., Malik, V., Jia, W., Kadowaki, T., Yajnik, C. S., Yoon, K.-H., Hu, F. B. (2009). Diabetes in Asia: Epidemiology, Risk Factors, and Pathophysiology. JAMA 301: 2129-2140 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Atkinson, S. A (2009). Introduction to the workshop. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 89: 1485S-1487S [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Sharkey, D., Gardner, D. S., Fainberg, H. P., Sebert, S., Bos, P., Wilson, V., Bell, R., Symonds, M. E., Budge, H. (2009). Maternal nutrient restriction during pregnancy differentially alters the unfolded protein response in adipose and renal tissue of obese juvenile offspring. FASEB J. 23: 1314-1324 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Isganaitis, E., Jimenez-Chillaron, J., Woo, M., Chow, A., DeCoste, J., Vokes, M., Liu, M., Kasif, S., Zavacki, A.-M., Leshan, R. L., Myers, M. G., Patti, M.-E. (2009). Accelerated Postnatal Growth Increases Lipogenic Gene Expression and Adipocyte Size in Low-Birth Weight Mice. Diabetes 58: 1192-1200 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Decano, J. L., Viereck, J. C., McKee, A. C., Hamilton, J. A., Ruiz-Opazo, N., Herrera, V. L.M. (2009). Early-Life Sodium Exposure Unmasks Susceptibility to Stroke in Hyperlipidemic, Hypertensive Heterozygous Tg25 Rats Transgenic for Human Cholesteryl Ester Transfer Protein. Circulation 119: 1501-1509 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Collins, J. W. Jr, David, R. J., Rankin, K. M., Desireddi, J. R. (2009). Transgenerational Effect of Neighborhood Poverty on Low Birth Weight Among African Americans in Cook County, Illinois. Am J Epidemiol 169: 712-717 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Inskip, H. M, Crozier, S. R, Godfrey, K. M, Borland, S. E, Cooper, C., Robinson, S. M, for the Southampton Women's Survey Study Group, (2009). Women's compliance with nutrition and lifestyle recommendations before pregnancy: general population cohort study. BMJ 338: b481-b481 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• (2009). Perspectives on Neuroscience and Behavior. Neuroscientist 15: 9-10  
• Jimenez-Chillaron, J. C., Isganaitis, E., Charalambous, M., Gesta, S., Pentinat-Pelegrin, T., Faucette, R. R., Otis, J. P., Chow, A., Diaz, R., Ferguson-Smith, A., Patti, M.-E. (2009). Intergenerational Transmission of Glucose Intolerance and Obesity by In Utero Undernutrition in Mice. Diabetes 58: 460-468 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Merlo, D. F., Wild, C. P., Kogevinas, M., Kyrtopoulos, S., Kleinjans, J., on behalf of the NewGeneris Consortium, (2009). NewGeneris: A European Study on Maternal Diet during Pregnancy and Child Health. Cancer Epidemiol. Biomarkers Prev. 18: 5-10 [Full Text]  
• Ledo, A., Arduini, A., Asensi, M. A, Sastre, J., Escrig, R., Brugada, M., Aguar, M., Saenz, P., Vento, M. (2009). Human milk enhances antioxidant defenses against hydroxyl radical aggression in preterm infants. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 89: 210-215 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Oresic, M., Simell, S., Sysi-Aho, M., Nanto-Salonen, K., Seppanen-Laakso, T., Parikka, V., Katajamaa, M., Hekkala, A., Mattila, I., Keskinen, P., Yetukuri, L., Reinikainen, A., Lahde, J., Suortti, T., Hakalax, J., Simell, T., Hyoty, H., Veijola, R., Ilonen, J., Lahesmaa, R., Knip, M., Simell, O. (2008). Dysregulation of lipid and amino acid metabolism precedes islet autoimmunity in children who later progress to type 1 diabetes. JEM 205: 2975-2984 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Grattan, D. R. (2008). Fetal Programming from Maternal Obesity: Eating Too Much for Two?. Endocrinology 149: 5345-5347 [Full Text]  
• Grandjean, P., Heindel, J. J., Marengoni, A., Winblad, B., Fratiglioni, L., Been, J. V., Kramer, B. W., Zimmermann, L. J.I., Gluckman, P. D., Hanson, M. A., Cooper, C. (2008). In Utero and Early-Life Conditions and Adult Health and Disease. NEJM 359: 1523-1524 [Full Text]  
• Alexander, B. T., Ojeda, N. B. (2008). Slow Prenatal Growth and Accelerated Postnatal Growth: Critical Influences on Adult Blood Pressure. Hypertension 52: 613-614 [Full Text]  
• Bauchner, H. (2008). Atoms. Arch. Dis. Child. 93: i-i [Full Text]  
• Weiss, K. M. (2008). Tilting at Quixotic Trait Loci (QTL): An Evolutionary Perspective on Genetic Causation. Genetics 179: 1741-1756 [Abstract] [Full Text]