ePoster

Exposure to nanoplastics induces attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)-like phenotype

Anaïs Vignon, Gaëlle Dudon, Giulia Oliva, Steeve Thirard, Ugo Alenda, Antoine Picot, Chantal Cazevieille, Denis Greuet, Federica Bertaso, Joan Torrent, Julie Le Merrer, Jérôme Becker, Véronique Perrier
FENS Forum 2024(2024)
Messe Wien Exhibition & Congress Center, Vienna, Austria

Conference

FENS Forum 2024

Messe Wien Exhibition & Congress Center, Vienna, Austria

Resources

Authors & Affiliations

Anaïs Vignon, Gaëlle Dudon, Giulia Oliva, Steeve Thirard, Ugo Alenda, Antoine Picot, Chantal Cazevieille, Denis Greuet, Federica Bertaso, Joan Torrent, Julie Le Merrer, Jérôme Becker, Véronique Perrier

Abstract

Our environment is polluted with plastic waste, wherein the degradation leads to the formation of micro and nanoplastics (NPs). These plastic particles contaminate water, soil, air, and food, exposing humans throughout their lives. Although NPs are detected in the human body, such as in blood, feces, and placenta, their potential impact on human health remains poorly understood. Moreover, the developing brains of fetuses and children may be sensitive to these molecules, potentially leading to functional impairments and altered behavior. Our study investigates the impact of chronic, low-dose exposure to NPs on neurodevelopment and behavior in wild-type mice. This investigation encompasses in utero and post-natal exposure, spanning from embryonic to old stages, and assesses the potential consequences on both the onset of neurodevelopmental abnormalities and aging pathologies across the lifespan. The behavioral phenotype was characterized at post-natal, adult, and old stages revealing the development of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in young and adult mice exposed to NPs. This included risk-taking behavior, hyperlocomotion, memory deficits, and impaired executive function. These behavioral impairments were linked to alterations in the expression of synaptic proteins in the brain, notably PSD95 associated with ADHD. At the cellular level, NPs seem to induce lysosomal dysfunction and increased production of an aging marker, namely lipofuscin, in neurons and microglia. Our findings suggest that chronic, low-dose exposure to NPs induces neurodevelopmental disorders marked by persistent behavioral changes and molecular alterations also present in aged animals.

Unique ID: fens-24/exposure-nanoplastics-induces-attention-3608e343