The Present and Future of Human Sexuality: Impact of Faulty Perinatal Hormonal Imprinting.

INTRODUCTION: Hormonal imprinting occurs perinatally, when the developing hormone receptors connect to their target hormones. This is required for the normal development of the receptor-hormone connection. At this time, the selectivity of receptors is weak and can be misdirected to related endogenous or exogenous molecules, such as other members of the same hormone family, synthetic hormones, drugs, hormone-like environmental pollutants, and endocrine disruptors. In this situation, faulty hormonal imprinting develops with lifelong consequences, which are manifested by altered receptor binding capacity, hormone production, changed bone formation, and brain neurotransmitter content. The effect of faulty imprinting is epigenetically inherited and manifested in progeny.

AIM: To evaluate the effects of hormonal imprinting on sexuality based on published results.

METHODS: Review of perinatal (mainly single) treatment of experimental animals with hormones or hormone-like materials and the study of their effects in adulthood and in progeny.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Consistency of experimental results with the previous information and expectations.

RESULTS: In each published experiment, perinatal treatments with hormones acting on members of a steroid receptor superfamily or endocrine disruptors (eg, bisphenol A, vinclozolin, benzpyrene or soybean genistein) caused faulty imprinting with altered sexual hormone receptor binding and sexual function. Indices of sexual activity showed the strong influence of these treatments.

CONCLUSION: Sexuality is influenced by perinatal faulty hormonal imprinting at the receptor and behavioral levels. Because faulty imprinting is an epigenetic process, it is transmitted to the members of cell line and to progeny. In the modern age, the amount of artificial (industrial, communal, and medical) imprinters and their effects on the human organism are increasing enormously. This is likely to change human sexuality now and in the future. Csaba G. The Present and Future of Human Sexuality: Impact of Faulty Perinatal Hormonal Imprinting. Sex Med Rev 2017;5:163-169.