▲ Research results have shown that BPA, a plastic additive, affects the development of autism or ADHD. (Photo = DB)
[메디컬투데이=최재백 기자] Bisphenol A (BPA), a plastic additive, has been shown to affect the development of autism or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Research results showing that BPA, a plastic additive, affects the development of autism or ADHD were published in the academic journal ‘PLOS ONE’.
While research is being conducted to find the cause of the annual increase in the prevalence of autism and ADHD in children, a research team from the Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine recently focused on environmental factors such as heavy metal residues in food and air pollution. .
BPA is a synthetic chemical that has been used in the production of polycarbonate plastic since the 1950s and is found in water bottles, metal cans, water pipes, eyeglass lenses, plastic containers, dental materials, and receipts. In the past, it has been suggested that BPA is associated with neurological diseases such as infertility, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, childhood anxiety, hyperactivity, attention deficit, depression, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. As such, BPA that enters the body must be properly removed.
Synthetic chemicals such as BPA are mostly insoluble and cannot be directly excreted through urine. However, insoluble chemicals can also be excreted through urine through the glucoronidation process in the liver where they combine with glucose, a water-soluble compound.
According to the study results, the research team reported that pediatric patients with autism and ADHD are vulnerable to BPA exposure due to a reduced ability to remove BPA, which is commonly used as a plastic additive, from the body.
The research team noted that the ability to detoxify BPA is genetically different, and explained that people with a poor ability to remove BPA are at risk of having their organs and tissues exposed to high concentrations of BPA for a long time.
They recruited 150 children from the Rutgers-NJ Medical School clinical clinic, divided them into an autism group, an ADHD group, and a healthy control group, and compared each group’s glucuronidation ability and BPA removal ability. did.
The results showed that pediatric patients in the autism and ADHD groups had 10% and 17% inefficient glucuronidation abilities, respectively, compared to healthy controls.
The research team said that while they expected BPA to have a specific effect on autism, it was unexpected that the glucuronidation ability was reduced even in the ADHD group, which was set as another control group.
To reduce exposure to many hazardous chemicals, including BPA, they recommended avoiding heating plastic containers in microwaves and handling especially hot foods and liquids in containers made of glass, porcelain, or stainless steel.
In addition, they announced that they plan to determine whether the reduced ability to glucuronidize BPA is inherited through future research. Furthermore, it was predicted that more research would be needed on the negative effects of similar chemicals, such as bisphenol F (BPF), which is used as a substitute for BPA, on neurodevelopment.
Medical Today Reporter Jaebaek Choi ([email protected])
[저작권자ⓒ 메디컬투데이. 무단전재-재배포 금지]
2023-10-17 06:23:22
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