Buenos Aires Study Ties Prenatal DEHP to Lasting Male Rat Anxiety, Reversed by 2 Treatments
Updated
Updated · Tech Times · Jun 18
Buenos Aires Study Ties Prenatal DEHP to Lasting Male Rat Anxiety, Reversed by 2 Treatments
3 articles · Updated · Tech Times · Jun 18
Summary
Male rats exposed to DEHP before birth showed lasting anxiety-like behavior at postnatal day 70, spending less time in open arms and freezing more even though exposure had ended shortly after birth.
GABA agonists given 90 minutes before testing and testosterone injections every 48 hours for two weeks both reversed that behavior, pointing to disrupted GABA signaling and androgen-dependent brain development.
The study also links DEHP to an overactive stress-response system, with prior animal work showing heightened corticotropin-releasing hormone activity and elevated corticosterone after early exposure.
Human relevance remains unproven because the work is a non-peer-reviewed rodent abstract with missing sample-size and control details, though recent child studies have linked prenatal phthalate exposure to ADHD, anxiety and altered brain networks.
DEHP remains approved in U.S. medical devices, and published NICU estimates suggest a 2-kilogram premature infant can receive about 16 milligrams per kilogram per day through intensive care equipment.
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Early-Life DEHP Exposure Permanently Rewires Male Rat Anxiety Circuits: Implications for Human Health and Regulation
Overview
New research presented at ENDO 2026 by The Endocrine Society reveals that DEHP, a chemical widely used to soften plastics in medical equipment, can permanently reprogram the anxiety circuitry in the developing male rat brain. The study shows that even early-life or prenatal exposure to DEHP is enough to cause long-term changes in anxiety-related behaviors, without the need for continued exposure after birth. These findings highlight the potential risks for vulnerable populations, such as developing fetuses and premature infants, due to DEHP's common use in hospitals, emphasizing the importance of understanding and regulating this chemical.