Early-life exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics at ambient doses induces neurotoxicity via mTOR-mediated autophagy-lysosomal dysfunction and proteostasis imbalance

Key Points

• Neurotoxicity is induced by early-life exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics leading to lasting effects.
• Significant disruptions in the mTOR pathway were observed with exposures correlating in experimental contexts.
• Assessment of neurodevelopmental outcomes utilized both in vitro and in vivo models to understand the impacts.
• Findings suggest a need for awareness regarding environmental pollutants affecting brain development.