American researchers have studied several generations of mice. The younger children had communication problems related to their grandparents’ exposure to bisphenol A.
Since 2015, bisphenol A (BPA) has been banned in food containers and receipts in France. A study published in 2016 showed that it only takes 90 minutes for bisphenol A to infiltrate the body. The participants had only been in contact with receipts. While we know that this endocrine disruptor causes hormonal disturbances, little is known about its long-term consequences. A study published in the journal PLOS One shows that this substance may have negative effects on the ability to communicate in mice, of which only the grandparents were exposed to BPA.
Mice exposed to two types of endocrine disruptors
Researchers at the University of Missouri worked on mice from California, because this breed behaves the same as humans: both parents (male and female) participate in the upbringing of children. They created three groups of rodents with three different diets. One of the groups of mice were exposed to BPA, another to ethinylestradiol (EE), which is also an endocrine disruptor, and the last group was not exposed to any endocrine disruptor. When the offspring of these mice were born, the newborns were not exposed to any of these products.
Stronger vocalizations
Scientists are interested in the third generation of rodents. To assess their ability to communicate, the vocalizations of mice were studied, because it is through the voice that newborns communicate with their parents. The researchers found that the offspring of mice exposed to BPA or EE made louder noises, which is a sign of distress. For Cheryl Rosenfeld, one of the authors of this study, these increased cries can also be a sign of a lack of care and attention of parents vis-à-vis their offspring. “The multigenerational effects seen in California mice may have links with human communication disorders, such as autism or neurobehavioral disorders,” explains Cheryl Rosenfeld.
A dangerous substance
The dangers of BPA are not yet fully understood. Several studies are already showing the harmful consequences that it can have: deterioration of the health of tooth enamel, increased risk of obesity and depression for children who are exposed to it in-utero, migraines … In 2016, the Association Santé Environnement France carried out tests one year after the ban. BPA was still present in some cans and containers.
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