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Windows of Susceptibility

Meaning

Windows of Susceptibility are specific, discrete developmental or life stages during which an organ system or biological process exhibits heightened vulnerability to environmental exposures, hormonal fluctuations, or metabolic insults. Exposure during these critical periods can result in long-lasting, often irreversible changes to physiological structure and function, impacting health and longevity decades later. In endocrinology, these windows are particularly pronounced during fetal development, puberty, and the menopausal transition, when the endocrine axes are undergoing rapid remodeling.