Common plastic additive may rewire the brain, triggering lifelong anxiety in rats
TL;DR
A study presented at ENDO 2026 reports that early-life exposure to the plasticizer DEHP increases anxiety-like behavior in adult male rats; exposure before and after birth led to less exploration and more freezing, and these effects were reversed by GABA agonists or testosterone, suggesting potential implications for human neurodevelopment and endocrine disruption.
Topics:healthhealth-and-medicine#anxiety#dehp#endocrine-disrupting-chemicals#health-and-medicine#neurodevelopment#plasticizer
- Common plastic chemical linked to lifelong anxiety in new study ScienceDaily
- Plastic Chemical DEHP Rewires Fetal Brain Anxiety Circuits via GABA, Study Shows Tech Times
- Suffering from anxiety often? A common plastic chemical may be affecting your brain, says new study The Economic Times
- Phthalate Exposure in Early Life May Lead to Anxiety in Adult Male Rats | Newswise Newswise
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