BPA has no effects on brain development: New study

American Chemistry CouncilFeb 18 2010

Study Helps Answer Key Research Questions

The American Chemistry Council (ACC) today commented on a significant study published online in the scientific journal Toxicological Sciences.  Quotes below may be attributed to Steven G. Hentges, Ph.D., ACC's Polycarbonate/BPA Global Group:

"This new study, which exposed pregnant rodents to a range of BPA dietary doses from low to high, concluded that BPA had no effects on brain development or behavior in their offspring that had been exposed to BPA in utero and throughout development.  The robust study was conducted by highly qualified researchers at WIL Research Laboratories.  

"This study follows on the heels of a recent low-dose study by EPA that also explored the potential effects of BPA at very early stages of life in rodents and that found even low doses of BPA did not affect the brain, reproduction or development.  Both of these studies – examining potential effects on brain development and behavior at low doses - address the areas of "some concern" which the National Toxicology Program had previously identified as appropriate for additional research.

"Regulatory agencies from around the world have concluded that the science supports the safety of BPA for people of all ages in its current uses.  Plastics made with BPA contribute to the safety and convenience of everyday life because of their durability, clarity and shatter-resistance.  Can liners made with BPA are essential components to help to protect the safety of packaged foods and preserve products from spoilage and contamination."

Background on the study

The study is titled "Developmental Neurotoxicity Study of Dietary Bisphenol A in Sprague-Dawley Rats," (Donald G. Stump, et al.).  In the study, pregnant female rats were exposed to BPA via direct consumption of the diet at dosage levels that spanned the range from low doses, as used in some published studies reporting developmental neurotoxicity, to a high dose that was anticipated to result in systemic toxicity in the pregnant rat (0, 0.01, 0.1, 5, 50, and 150 mg/kg/day).  The offspring, exposed to BPA in utero, via milk while nursing and via direct consumption through the diet once they started to feed, were studied for functional or morphological effects on their nervous systems.  The study concluded that there were no neurologic or neurobehavioral effects related to BPA at any dose tested.