Lau et al, (2006), found that the artificial sweetener aspartame and flavour enhancer L-glutamic acid can act as a form of neurotoxin that could potentially destroy central neurons. These two chemicals overstimulate the postsynaptic excitatory membrane receptor, leading to higher level of neurite inhibition, which can be a potential risk factor for ADHD. Also the overstimulation of NMDA receptor is often associated with mood disorder like depression (McCarthy et al., 2012). Lau and colleagues’ study furthermore looked at the cocktail effect of food additives, i.e. what is the effect when different kinds of food additives are combined? Their result has shown a dramatic increase in neurite inhibition in the rat cells they exposed to mixtures
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It is almost impossible that a product containing one type of food additive does not contain another. Although this study uses direct stimulation of mouse NB2a neuroblastoma cells, which probably has over exaggerated the effect, it can also be true that chronic consumption of these toxin additives would actually cause these effects, leading to the over stimulation of excitatory membrane receptor, causing the ADHD, or symptoms of ADHD, and possible depression (Lau et al, 2006; McCarthy et al., 2012). In another study done by McCann et al, 2007, similar results were found. In this study, they tested the effect of food additives on children’s …show more content…
In the modern world, despite all the convenience and resources it has to offer, what comes with it is the large amount of unavoidable toxins released into the environment. A study done in Seoul, Korea looks at whether environmental toxins have an association with ASD (Kim et al, 2010). The study suggested that mothers who consumed more toxic chemicals during their pregnancy are more likely to have children with ASD. Four commonly found toxins were examined in this study: Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), Bisphenol A (BPA) and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin (PCDD). PBDEs is a flame retardant widely used in many household items. It is thought to disrupt the nerve differentiation of the fetus, which leads to later cognitive dysfunction when the child grows up. One may think usually people will not eat any of these items but once the items were disposed and buried or recycled, the chemicals could leak into soil, water, and air. Studies have found that a significant level of PCB, PBDEs and PCDD in salmon, ground beef, butter and cheese (Bell et al., 2012; Dietrich et al., 2015; Montory, Habit, Fernandez, Grimalt, & Barra, 2010). BPA is often found in plastic containers and packaging. Of course this is not to say that all food contains these toxins as this would largely depend on the location where the food was
It is almost impossible that a product containing one type of food additive does not contain another. Although this study uses direct stimulation of mouse NB2a neuroblastoma cells, which probably has over exaggerated the effect, it can also be true that chronic consumption of these toxin additives would actually cause these effects, leading to the over stimulation of excitatory membrane receptor, causing the ADHD, or symptoms of ADHD, and possible depression (Lau et al, 2006; McCarthy et al., 2012). In another study done by McCann et al, 2007, similar results were found. In this study, they tested the effect of food additives on children’s …show more content…
In the modern world, despite all the convenience and resources it has to offer, what comes with it is the large amount of unavoidable toxins released into the environment. A study done in Seoul, Korea looks at whether environmental toxins have an association with ASD (Kim et al, 2010). The study suggested that mothers who consumed more toxic chemicals during their pregnancy are more likely to have children with ASD. Four commonly found toxins were examined in this study: Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), Bisphenol A (BPA) and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin (PCDD). PBDEs is a flame retardant widely used in many household items. It is thought to disrupt the nerve differentiation of the fetus, which leads to later cognitive dysfunction when the child grows up. One may think usually people will not eat any of these items but once the items were disposed and buried or recycled, the chemicals could leak into soil, water, and air. Studies have found that a significant level of PCB, PBDEs and PCDD in salmon, ground beef, butter and cheese (Bell et al., 2012; Dietrich et al., 2015; Montory, Habit, Fernandez, Grimalt, & Barra, 2010). BPA is often found in plastic containers and packaging. Of course this is not to say that all food contains these toxins as this would largely depend on the location where the food was