Superfund Research Program

August 2023

Paper of the Month or Year

Prenatal exposure to benzene may predispose offspring to metabolic diseases later in life, according to a study in mice. Partly funded by the NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP), the study was led by researchers at the Wayne State University SRP Center.

The team exposed pregnant female mice to benzene and tracked genetic changes in their offspring. They found that benzene exposure early in life may have enduring effects on brain development and increase susceptibility to metabolic diseases in adulthood, particularly in males or when combined with a high-fat diet.

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