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BPA replacement also affects brain development in zebrafish: study

Xinhua, January 13, 2015 Adjust font size:

Bisphenol S (BPS), a common substitute for bisphenol A (BPA) in consumer products, has similar toxic effects on brain development that may lead to hyperactivity in zebrafish, a new study said Monday.

BPA is produced in massive quantities around the world for use in consumer products, including household plastics, and public health concerns have prompted many manufacturers to replace BPA with BPS, which is often labeled as "BPA-free" and presumed to be safer.

In a study published in the U.S. journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers from the University of Calgary in Canada provided evidence that both BPA and BPS may cause alterations in brain development, leading to hyperactivity in a widely accepted biomedical model for such experiments known as zebrafish.

"I was actually very surprised at our results. This was a very, very, very low dose, so I didn't think using a dose this low could have any effect," corresponding author Deborah Kurrasch of the university said in a statement.

For the study, zebrafish embryos were exposed to the chemicals at levels found in the Bow and Old Man rivers of Alberta, Canada and the exposure to BPA and BPS changed the timing of neuron formation in the brains of the fish.

The study found treatment of embryonic zebrafish with low dose BPA -- 1,000-fold lower than the accepted human daily exposure -- led to a 180 percent increase in the number of neurons generated within the hypothalamus, a highly conserved brain region implicated in aggression and hyperactivity.

Exposure to BPS resulted in a 240 percent increase in the number of neurons generated in the hypothalamus.

All the fish demonstrated greater hyperactivity later in life, the researchers said.

Although further research is needed to explore that link and the potential effect on human brains developing in the womb, Kurrasch said the findings add weight to other studies suggesting pregnant women should try to limit their exposure to items containing bisphenols.

"Our results show that BPA-free products are not necessarily safer and support the removal of all bisphenols from consumer merchandise," the researchers wrote in their paper. Endite