Epigenetic mechanisms can explain how chemicals in plastic can cause children to have low IQs

The chemical bisphenol F (found in plastic) can induce changes in genes essential for neurodevelopment

External factors can cause changes in gene activity through "epigenetic" mechanisms

Scientists measured the level of BPF in the urine of pregnant women during the first trimester of pregnancy, and then monitored it after the child was born

The analysis showed that in fetuses exposed to higher levels of BPF, methylation of a specific part of the GRIN2B gene increased, which has a key neurological effect

"We have been able to determine that DNA methylation is the underlying mechanism by which BPF affects IQ.

In previous studies by the research team, they found that 25% of 7-year-old children in the 10th week of pregnancy, compared with 25% of children exposed to the lowest level, the overall IQ of mothers exposed to the highest level of bisphenol F dropped by 2 Percentage points

Journal Reference :

1. Elin Engdahl, Katherine Svensson, Ping-I Daniel Lin, Ali Alavian-Ghavanini, Christian Lindh, Joëlle Rüegg, Carl-Gustaf Bornehag.