Early Life PBDE Flame Retardant Exposures Cause Neurobehavioral Alterations in Fish That Persist into Adulthood and Vary by Sex and Route of Exposure.

ABSTRACT: Early life stages are particularly vulnerable to environmental pollutants, and many marine species develop in nearshore habitats where contaminants like polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) are common. PBDEs disrupt neurodevelopment, but their long-term effects and the influence of exposure route remain poorly understood. Using Fundulus heteroclitus (mummichogs), we tested whether early life exposure to BDE-99, a prevalent PBDE, leads to persistent behavioral and molecular alterations and whether outcomes differ between progenitor (maternal) exposure and direct embryonic exposure. Both approaches achieved comparable doses and were followed by rearing in clean water until adulthood. Both exposure routes resulted in long-term hyperactivity and reduced anxiety-like behavior, though ef

SUBMITTER: McNabb-Kelada NA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12424188 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature