| The Thursday Edition | October 2, 2008 |
BPA in Plastics May Cause Memory Loss and Brain Damage!
Findings from a new animal study have raised concerns about the brain effects of bisphenol-A (BPA)—an ingredient of many commonly-used plastic containers. Researchers concluded that BPA caused loss of connections between brain cells in primates. They also linked chemical exposure to memory loss and depression!
Researchers from the Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, Conn., and Ontario Veterinary College in Guelph, Canada, were the first to examine the effects of BPA on primates. The study was also the first to use lower levels of the chemical that correspond to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) safe daily limit.
The findings were published online September 3, 2008 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
The research team gave each primate a daily dose of 50 micrograms of BPA per kg of body weight. This treatment continued for 28 days.
They also gave the animals estradiol—a human estrogen hormone that helps control connections between brain cells. This hormone also plays a role in the development and function of brain areas that regulate mood and help form memories.
The researchers found that BPA exposure halted the formation of synapses, or connections between brain cells in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex!
Dr. Csaba Leranth, professor in the department of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences and in neurobiology at Yale, co-authored the report that stated that their research “further amplifies concerns about the widespread use of BPA in medical equipment, and in food preparation and storage.”
The authors said most people are unlikely to reach daily exposure limits set by the EPA. But cumulative exposure to BPA could worsen health problems. They also said the effects of BPA exposure could be worse in people with lower estradiol levels, such as babies and the elderly.
Posted in Memory Problems.
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