Distribution of Non-Persistent Endocrine Disruptors in Two Different Regions of the Human Brain

Thomas P. Van der Meer, Francisco Artacho-Cordón, Dick F. Swaab, Dicky Struik, Konstantinos C. Makris, Bruce H. R. Wolffenbuttel, Hanne Frederiksen and Jana V. Van Vliet-Ostaptchouk
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Thomas P. Van der Meer: Department of Endocrinology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands
Francisco Artacho-Cordón: Univ. Granada, Radiology and Physical Medicine Dept./ibs.GRANADA, 18016 Granada, Spain
Dick F. Swaab: Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1105 BA Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Dicky Struik: Section of Molecular Metabolism and Nutrition, Department of Pediatrics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands
Konstantinos C. Makris: Cyprus International Institute for Environmental and Public Health, Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol 3041, Cyprus
Bruce H. R. Wolffenbuttel: Department of Endocrinology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands
Hanne Frederiksen: Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Blegdamsvej 9, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
Jana V. Van Vliet-Ostaptchouk: Department of Endocrinology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands

IJERPH, 2017, vol. 14, issue 9, 1-11

Abstract: Non-persistent endocrine disrupting chemicals (npEDCs) can affect multiple organs and systems in the body. Whether npEDCs can accumulate in the human brain is largely unknown. The major aim of this pilot study was to examine the presence of environmental phenols and parabens in two distinct brain regions: the hypothalamus and white-matter tissue. In addition, a potential association between these npEDCs concentrations and obesity was investigated. Post-mortem brain material was obtained from 24 individuals, made up of 12 obese and 12 normal-weight subjects (defined as body mass index (BMI) > 30 and BMI < 25 kg/m 2 , respectively). Nine phenols and seven parabens were measured by isotope dilution TurboFlow-LC-MS/MS. In the hypothalamus, seven suspect npEDCs (bisphenol A, triclosan, triclocarban and methyl-, ethyl-, n-propyl-, and benzyl paraben) were detected, while five npEDCs (bisphenol A, benzophenone-3, triclocarban, methyl-, and n-propyl paraben) were found in the white-matter brain tissue. We observed higher levels of methylparaben (MeP) in the hypothalamic tissue of obese subjects as compared to controls ( p = 0.008). Our findings indicate that some suspected npEDCs are able to cross the blood–brain barrier. Whether the presence of npEDCs can adversely affect brain function and to which extent the detected concentrations are physiologically relevant needs to be further investigated.

Keywords: bisphenol-A; methylparaben; phenols; parabens; brain; hypothalamus; obesity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
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