Tiny plastic particles, or nanoplastics, could significantly alter brain development and behavior, according to a new study on mice published in Neuroscience. Researchers found that these particles affect the dopamine system – a key player in motivation and mood – and impact social behaviors during critical stages of development. Nanoplastics, which measure less than 1,000 nanometers, are an emerging environmental concern. They are small enough to penetrate biological barriers and have been found in human organs, raising questions about their potential health effects. Earlier studies linked nanoplastics to inflammation and neurotoxicity in animals, but little was known about their impacts upon development. To address this, Na-Hyun Kim and colleagues from Daegu Catholic University in South Korea examined how nanoplastics affected mice at different life stages. Using a carefully controlled study, the team administered nanoplastics orally once daily to pregnant mice during gestation, as well as directly to their offspring at different developmental stages. The researchers divided male offspring mice into groups exposed to nanoplastics during mid-gestation, late-gestation, postnatal, juvenile, adolescent, or adult stages. They conducted …