The effects of oral gestational particulate matter 10 exposure: Insights into neurodevelopmental milestones, inhibitory control, adult sociability, and object recognition

Air pollutants have been associated with various neurodevelopmental disorders, with several studies specifically linking Particulate Matter (PM) exposure to attentional and social deficits. This link is even more pronounced when exposure occurs during the prenatal period, as it can disrupt normal brain development. However, while social deficits have been extensively studied during adolescence, their impact on adult social behaviors remains largely unexplored. To investigate these effects, pregnant Wistar rats were exposed throughout gestation (GD1-GD21) to PM₁₀ at a dosage of 200 μg/Kg/day diluted in PBS that was freely drunk. After birth, the pups were evaluated on developmental milestones such as weight progression, ocular opening, and muscular strength. In adulthood, inhibitory control was assessed using the Five Choice Serial Reaction Time Task (5-CSRTT), social behavior using the Three-Chambered Crawley’s Test (3-CT), and object recognition using the Novelty Object Recognition test (NOR). The results indicated that prenatal PM10 exposure is associated with higher birth weight and poorer performance in neuromuscular tests. However, no significant differences were observed in inhibitory control (5-CSRTT) or social behavior (3-CT). Interestingly, prenatally exposed rodents showed heightened novelty responses in the NOR test. In conclusion, gestational exposure to PM₁₀ is related to differences in neurodevelopmental milestones, including weight and muscular strength. While it does not impact adult inhibitory control or social behavior, it influences novelty recognition in later life.