Even brief exposure to glyphosate, a pesticide “probably carcinogenic” according to the WHO, could affect long-term brain health by causing neuroinflammation, according to researchers.
- A new study finds that glyphosate, a widely used herbicide, could cause lasting brain damage, even after brief exposure.
- In mice, it causes persistent neuroinflammation, anxiety-like behaviors and an acceleration of Alzheimer’s-related symptoms, effects linked to the accumulation of its metabolite (AMPA) in the brain.
- Although American authorities consider glyphosate safe at low doses, these results raise concerns, particularly for rural populations and consumers.
Are controversial herbicides like glyphosate, commonly used in agriculture, more dangerous than previously thought? While in 2023, the European Union renewed its authorization for ten additional years, without France objecting, a new study published in the Journal of Neuroinflammation highlights, for the first time, a troubling link between this notorious pesticide and lasting neurological damage.
Glyphosate and neuroinflammation
As part of their work, researchers from Arizona State University and the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), in the United States, exposed mice to glyphosate for 13 weeks. As a result, they all developed persistent brain inflammation and symptoms similar to those of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Even after exposure stopped, deleterious effects on the brain, such as anxiety-like behaviors and accelerated cognitive decline, persisted for six months.
Analyzes have notably shown that a metabolite of glyphosate, aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), accumulates in brain tissues, highlighting a toxic potential that was hitherto underestimated. “Our work demonstrates the vulnerability of the brain to this substance, especially in rural populations where exposure is common”specify the scientists in a press release. This new study suggests that even low-dose exposures, close to permissible limits, could affect brain health.
An omnipresent product in our environment
Used extensively since the 1990s, particularly on crops such as corn and soybeans, glyphosate is the best-selling pesticide in the world. Despite regulations that limit residues in food, glyphosate has been detected in water, soil and even in the air. Although the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considers glyphosate safe at certain doses, the World Health Organization (WHO) has classified it as “probable carcinogen”.
The results of this research raise concerns, especially for agricultural workers and consumers exposed indirectly through food. Researchers emphasize the need to reevaluate safety standards. “Our work should encourage more research on the effects of glyphosate, but also on other ubiquitous substances that may affect brain health.”
