An article published on March 2, 2015 on the online science news website Science Daily, reports on a new study linking bisphenol A (BPA, CAS 80-05-7) to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children. In humans, BPA is extensively converted to BPA-glucuronide (BPAG). BPAG is the major circulating metabolite and major excreted metabolite of BPA in urine. In the study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Autism Research, U.S. researchers from Rowan University and Rutgers University collected urine samples from 46 children with ASD and 52 healthy control children. The researchers then analyzed the samples for both free and total BPA and calculated the fraction of BPAG from the difference. The researchers report that children with ASD tended to have more free or unmetabolized BPA in urine compared to the control group. Metabolomic analysis further revealed that the metabolism of BPA was different in some children with ASD compared to healthy children. There was a significant correlation between total BPA and metabolites excreted and it was three times greater in the ASD group compared to the control group. The study involves a relatively small number of participants, says T. Peter Stein, the study’s lead author. However, the results suggest there is an association between BPA and ASD thus there is clearly an open area for further research.
Read more
Science Daily (March 2, 2015). “BPA exposure linked to autism spectrum disorder, study reports.”
Reference
Stein, P. T. et al. (2015). “Bisphenol A exposure in children with autism spectrum disorders.” Autism Research (published online January 13, 2015).
