title: Exposure to bisphenol A appears to impair hippocampal neurogenesis and spatial learning and memory.
abstract: Bisphenol A (BPA) is widely used in the manufacture of plastics and epoxy resins, and is known to affect reproductive organ growth and development. However, the effects of BPA on hippocampal neurogenesis are unclear in young adult mice. Therefore, the present study was conducted to examine the effects of BPA on hippocampal neurogenesis and learning as well as memory performance in young adult mice. BPA (1, 5, and 20 mg/kg/day) was administered orally to mice for 2 weeks. It was found that high-dose BPA (20 mg/kg/day) decreased the number of newly generated cells in hippocampus, but that low-dose BPA (1 mg/kg) increased the survival of newly generated cells in hippocampi of young mice. Furthermore, high-dose BPA (20mg/kg/day) was found to impair learning and memory performance significantly. However, no significant differences were observed between high- and low-dose treated mice in terms of levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) or reactive oxygen species production in hippocampus. In addition, BPA treatment did not induce neuronal loss or damage or astrocyte activation. These data suggest that exposure to BPA causes fluctuations in hippocampal neurogenesis in young adult mice that result in spatial learning and memory impairment via a BDNF-independent pathway.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy and Research Institute for Drug Development, Longevity Life Science and Technology Institutes, Pusan National University, Geumjeong-gu, Busan 609-735, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Mi Eun
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hee Ra
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Eun Ji
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.forename: Seon Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Hyung Sik
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jaewon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D055495:Neurogenesis / Q000187:drug effects*; D010636:Phenols / Q000633:toxicity*; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D000098826:Bisphenol A Compounds
chemical_list: D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D010636:Phenols; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; C006780:bisphenol A; D000098826:Bisphenol A Compounds