Exposure to Nanoplastics Affects Brain Development and Behavior in Offspring Mice

In the era of plastic use, individuals are constantly exposed to nanoplastics (NPs), which increase with the increase in the amount of plastic waste. Recently, NP accumulation in living organisms has negative effects on the body, although studies on the effects of NPs on brain development are insignificant. Therefore, the effects of NPs on nervous system development were investigated using cultured primary cortical neuron cells and mice exposed to NPs during the stages of brain development. NPs inhibited neurite growth and proliferation and induced apoptosis in cultured primary cortical neuron cells in vitro . Additionally, gene expression associated with brain development decreased with NP exposure in embryonic brains, and Gabra2 expression declined in the brains of offspring exposed to NPs. Finally, offspring mice from NPs-treated dams exhibited anxiety, depression-like behavior, and abnormal social behavior. Altogether, these results indicated that NP exposure disrupts brain development and behavior in mice.