Perinatal Programming - New Insights into the Origins of Neurodegenerative Disorders.

Abstract

Neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), constitute a problem of great significance in aging societies. The origin and underlying causes have not been established yet. The lately discovered phenomenon of foetal programming explains the connection between perinatal episodes and the development of chronic diseases in the later stages of life. The aim of this review is to show that altered foetal programming may connect perinatal asphyxia and the development of AD later in life. It is believed that most cases of AD arise through interactions between genetic and environmental factors. Among all the exposures, transient brain hypoxia has been extensively studied recently. The role of hypoxia in the early developmental period as a trigger for developing AD in adults through altered programming of genes expression cannot be excluded. It is possible that severe hypoxia in early life can cause biochemical changes, including long-lasting alterations in gene expression, leading to neurodegenerative disorders in adults. The prevention of neurodegenerative diseases should focus on events from the earliest periods of life. Better recognition of underlying mechanisms is necessary for further investigations and the development of novel therapeutic methods.