Behavioral and neuroinflammatory changes caused by glyphosate: Base herbicide in mice offspring

Background: Glyphosate is a pesticide considered of low toxicity, but scientific evidences show it can be harmful to health. This study aimed to evaluate the toxicity in mice offspring exposed to glyphosate-based herbicide (GBH) during the intrauterine period. Methods: Female matrices received glyphosate 0.3 mg/kg daily per oral throughout the gestational period, which was variable between 18 and 22 days. From the 25th until the 28th days post-birth, mice offspring were subjected to behavioral tests, and the prefrontal cortex was processed for immunohistochemical analysis. Results: Two significant behavioral changes were observed: anxiety in the GLIF0.3 group, increase in the behavior burying marbles in the marble-burying test and hyperactivity, expressed by the significant increase of the crossing number in the open field test. The increased microglia, TNF-alpha, and astrocyte expression were also observed in the prefrontal cortex of offspring treated with GLIF0.3. Conclusion: Exposure to GBH during mice intrauterine development induces hyperactive and anxious behavior, evidencing neuroinflammation.

Automated summary

This study aimed to evaluate the toxicity of glyphosate-based herbicide (GBH) on the offspring of mice during the intrauterine period. Results showed that exposure to GBH led to increased anxiety and hyperactivity in the mice offspring, as well as neuroinflammation in the prefrontal cortex. This suggests that intrauterine exposure to GBH can have detrimental effects on the nervous system.