Prenatal Exposure to Polyethylene Micro/Nanoplastics and Cerebellar Development: A Pilot Study of Motor and ASD-Related Behaviours

This project addresses a critical child-health question: do polyethylene (PE) micro- and nanoplastics cross the placenta and disrupt cerebellar development, leading to later motor and autism-relevant behaviours? The cerebellum is critical for early motor, social, and cognitive development, yet causal developmental evidence for the effects of plastics is still largely missing. We will deliver proof-of-transfer to the fetal brain, cerebellar burden maps, and cellular pathology (Purkinje cells, microglia, synapses), alongside blinded behavioural effect sizes at P60 using contamination-controlled workflows and orthogonal analytics (μFTIR/Raman). These outcomes will pinpoint vulnerable developmental periods and refine early rehabilitation screening to identify children at risk for PE MNP-related neurodevelopmental delays and guide timely interventions.