Evidence pointing to the potential health risks associated with exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) continues to mount.
In a new study in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (May 27, 2013), researchers from Columbia University in New York found that doses of BPA considered safe for human consumption changed the brains of mice exposed to it in utero, but with different effects on males and females.
The researchers found changes in the estrogen receptor expression in the cortex of males and the hypothalamus of females whose mothers had been exposed to BPA. The changes in their brains could alter social behavior, according to the researchers.
BPA is used in some dental sealants and also a number of consumer products and household items. Previous animal studies have associated BPA with breast and prostate cancers, as well as reproductive and behavioral abnormalities. In addition, some research has tied BPA to cardiovascular disease, miscarriage, decreased semen quality, and childhood behavioral issues.
