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Perinatal exposure to metal mixtures disrupts neuronal function and behavior
Naveen Chandra1, Benyamin Karimi1, Ankita Bhobe1
1Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
Environmental Research
|January 19, 2026
Summary
Perinatal exposure to a mixture of lead, arsenic, cadmium, and chromium (PACC) metals caused anxiety and memory deficits in juvenile mice. This heavy metal mixture also altered neuronal function in key brain regions, impacting development.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Environmental Health
- Developmental Toxicology
Background:
- Environmental heavy metal exposure, including lead (Pb), arsenic (As), hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)], and cadmium (Cd) (PACC), is associated with neurodevelopmental disorders.
- The combined effects of these co-occurring metals on brain development are not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the hypothesis that perinatal exposure to a mixture of environmentally relevant PACC metals induces cognitive, behavioral, and neuronal defects.
- To assess the impact of combined heavy metal exposure on neurodevelopment.
Main Methods:
- Female C57BL/6J mice were exposed to single metals or the PACC mixture from preconception through weaning.
- Juvenile mice underwent behavioral testing for locomotion, memory, and anxiety.
- Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings were performed on medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and hippocampal CA1 neurons.
Main Results:
- Perinatal PACC metal mixture exposure increased anxiety-like behavior and impaired short-term memory.
- Locomotion and working memory were not significantly affected.
- Pyramidal neurons in the mPFC and hippocampal CA1 showed increased intrinsic excitability, with elevated excitatory postsynaptic currents in mPFC neurons.
Conclusions:
- Perinatal exposure to the PACC metal mixture disrupts neuronal function and behavior in juvenile mice, leading to cognitive impairments and increased anxiety.
- These findings highlight the detrimental effects of combined heavy metal exposure on neurodevelopment.
- Further research is required to elucidate the precise mechanisms underlying heavy metal-induced neurodevelopmental disruption.
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