Exposure to polystyrene particles causes anxiety-, depression-like behavior and abnormal social behavior in mice.
Open accessAbstract
In the era of plastic use, organisms are constantly exposed to polystyrene particles (PS-Ps). PS-Ps accumulated in living organisms exert negative effects on the body, although studies evaluating their effects on brain development are scarce. In this study, the effects of PS-Ps on nervous system development were investigated using cultured primary cortical neurons and mice exposed to PS-Ps at different stages of brain development. The gene expression associated with brain development was downregulated in embryonic brains following PS-Ps exposure, and Gabra2 expression decreased in the embryonic and adult mice exposed to PS-Ps. Additionally, offspring of PS-Ps-treated dams exhibited signs of anxiety- and depression-like behavior, and abnormal social behavior. We propose that PS-Ps accumulation in the brain disrupts brain development and behavior in mice. This study provides novel information regarding PS-Ps toxicity and its harmful effects on neural development and behavior in mammals.
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Smaller nanoparticles exhibit a higher surface area-to-volume ratio, enhancing their chemical reactivity, biological interactions, cellular uptake, and tissue penetration.
“Smaller nanoparticles exhibit a higher surface area-to-volume ratio, enhancing their chemical reactivity, biological interactions, cellular uptake, and tissue penetration (Jin et al., 2019; Shin et al., 2023; Teng et al., 2022).”
From Deciphering the toxic effects of polystyrene nanoparticles on erythropoiesis at single-cell resolution (2025) · cites this paper as Shin et al., 2023
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Eun, J. K., Medical Research Institute, P. N. U., Medical Research Institute, P. N. U., Hyeon, M. S., Hansong, L., Soyul, A., Yejin, K., Chae, R. L., Kihun, K., Kyungjae, M., et al. (2025) · Zoological Research · doi:10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2024.277 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
“Smaller nanoparticles exhibit a higher surface area-to-volume ratio, enhancing their chemical reactivity, biological interactions, cellular uptake, and tissue penetration (Jin et al., 2019; Shin et al., 2023; Teng et al., 2022).”
- Authors
- Shin, H. S., Lee, S. H., Moon, H. J., So, Y. H., Lee, H. R., Lee, E.-H., & Jung, E.-M.
- Affiliations
- Pusan National University (KR)
- Corresponding author
- Jung, Eui-Man
- Venue
- Journal of Hazardous Materials
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2023-07
- Volume
- 454
- Pages
- 131465
- ISSN
- 0304-3894 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W4366779056
- Cited by
- 74
- References
- 6
- Citations by year
- 2026: 21 · 2025: 25 · 2024: 20 · 2023: 8
- FWCI
- 4.93
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Journal of Hazardous Materials (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Research Foundation of Korea
- Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning (2021R1C1C100328611)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Pollution › Microplastics and Plastic Pollution
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Effects and risks of endocrine disrupting chemicals
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Toxic Organic Pollutants Impact
- Keywords
- polystyrene particles, microplastics, brain development, anxiety-like behavior, depression-like behavior, social behavior, cortical neurons, GABRA2, gene expression, developmental neurotoxicity, maternal exposure, offspring behavior
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Anxiety, Depression, Mammals, Polystyrenes, Social Behavior, Water Pollutants, Chemical, Mice, Nanoparticles
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