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Microplastics are an emerging environmental pollutant of global concern, yet their potential impact on brain development remains poorly understood. Recent evidence indicates that small plastic particles can cross biological barriers, raising the possibility that maternal exposure during pregnancy may affect the developing fetal brain. 

This project will investigate whether maternally delivered fluorescent polystyrene microplastics cross the placenta in mice, accumulate in the fetal brain, and trigger neuroinflammation through microglial activation. We will combine high-resolution immunohistochemistry, multiplex chemiluminescence, flow cytometry, stereological counting, and multiplex protein analysis to quantify changes in microglia, synaptic markers, and neuroinflammatory mediators. 

Early-life behavioral assessments will test for deficits in social interaction, attention, and activity levels, reflecting key features of neurodevelopmental disorders. An anti-inflammatory intervention will be used to probe the causal role of neuroimmune activation in these outcomes. By integrating environmental toxicology with developmental neuroscience, this project addresses a novel and timely question with significant translational relevance. 

Findings are expected to reveal new mechanistic insights into how environmental pollutants interact with the brain’s immune system during critical developmental windows, potentially informing preventive strategies to protect brain health and reduce risk for neurodevelopmental diseases.