International Union for Circumpolar Health Ministry of Public Health and Social Development of RF Russian Academy of Medical Sciences Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Medical Sciences Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences Medical Polar Fund “Science” The Northern Forum

Abstracts

Ecology and adaptation (medical ecology)

Objectives. Analysis of salivary steroid profiles has proven to be a very useful method in studies of human ecology, behavior, and disease. Applications to the study of the ecology and health of arctic populations are discussed.

Study design. Review of methodology and presentation of illustrative results of previous studies.

Methodology. Because saliva sample collection is minimally invasive and can be conducted outside a clinical setting, and because sample handling and transport does not require freezing, protocols of repeated sample collection are feasible under field conditions. Samples can be analyzed by conventional methods of radioimmunoassay. Results. Field studies from equatorial Africa, Nepal, Poland, Paraguay, and the USA have demonstrated the effect of moderate changes in energy balance on female ovarian function and population differences in age-related changes in male testosterone levels. Results from the EBBA Study in Tromsø have indicated that salivary estradiol profiles are sensitive indicators of breast cancer risk. Ongoing studies in Poland have indicated an interaction between birth size and sensitivity of adult ovarian function to energy expenditure.

Discussion. Incorporation of this methodology into studies of the ecology and health of arctic populations can help address several issues of interest and concern, such as the potential for persistent organic pollutants in the food chain to disrupt human reproductive function and maturation, possible associations between pollutants and cancer risk, the potential for metabolic aspects of cold adaptation to interact with the human reproductive axis, and the potential for extreme photoperiod differences to affect reproductive axis activity.

Note. Abstracts are published in author's edition

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Last update: 06-Jul-2012 (11:52:05)