Environmental International, Volume 161, March 2022

Who were the authors of the study?
Javeria Zaheer, Hyeongi Kim, In Ok Ko, Eun-Kyeong Jo, Eui-Ju Choi, Hae-June Lee, Insop Shim, Hyun-jeong Woo, Jonghoon Choi, Gun-Ha Kim, and Jin Su Kim.

What previous research supports the need to conduct this study?
This study was supported by previous findings that indicated exposure to microplastics leads to disturbed metabolites and gene expression in the brain, as well as gut microbiome changes that can lead to ASD-like traits in mice. In addition, the increasing prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been linked to environmental pollution in the past 10 years.

What hypothesis did the researchers propose regarding microplastics and ASD?
The researchers proposed that exposure to microplastics is a potential risk factor for ASD.

What evidence did the researchers provide to support their hypothesis?
The researchers provided evidence of the accumulation of polyethylene (PE) in the brains of mice and then assessed the behavioral effects using mouse models at different life stages.

How did the researchers assess the behavioral effects of microplastic exposure in mice?
The researchers assessed the behavioral effects of microplastic exposure in mice using typical behavioral assessments of autistic traits in the model mice.

What were the results of the PET, MRS, microarray and microbiome analysis?
The results of the PET, MRS, microarray and microbiome analysis revealed disturbance of metabolites and gene expression in the brain, gut microbiome change, and ASD-like traits in mice after PE feeding.

How do the findings of this study support the potential risk of microplastics exposure on ASD?
The findings of this study support the potential risk of microplastics exposure on ASD by showing that exposure to PE leads to impaired social interaction and repetitive behaviors in mice model, as well as disturbance of metabolites and gene expression in the brain and gut microbiome change.

What implications for future research are suggested by the authors?
The authors suggest that further research should be conducted to develop a better understanding of the potential link between microplastic exposure and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). They suggest that studies should focus on the accumulation of polyethylene (PE) in the brains of mice and the behavioral effects of exposure to PE at different life stages. They also recommend that studies use positron emission tomography, magnetic resonance spectroscopy, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, microarray, and microbiome analysis to further explore the potential link between microplastics and ASD.

Can I read the full study somewhere?

Yep. Right here. Full Study Here