Glyphosate exposure in mice accelerates Alzheimer's disease processes, with the herbicide's metabolites persisting in brain tissue six months after initial exposure.
Glyphosate, a widely used herbicide, has been linked to widespread inflammation and neuronal damage in the brain. A recent study in mice found that glyphosate and its primary metabolite, aminomethylphosphonic acid, persist in brain tissue for months after exposure, potentially contributing to neurodegenerative changes.
Researchers exposed ordinary mice and mice prone to developing Alzheimer’s to varying doses of glyphosate daily for 13 weeks. Six months later, they examined the animals' brain tissues for lingering glyphosate, metabolites, and key markers of Alzheimer’s pathology, including amyloid-beta plaques, tau tangles, and inflammation.
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They discovered that glyphosate’s primary metabolite remained in brain tissue even after six months of non-exposure. Glyphosate-exposed Alzheimer’s-prone mice had lower survival rates, more difficulty in spatial memory tasks, and increased markers of Alzheimer’s pathology, including larger and more numerous amyloid-beta plaques and higher levels of phosphorylated tau protein. Both groups of mice exhibited persistent inflammation in their brains and blood.
These findings suggest that glyphosate exposure may contribute to long-lasting brain changes, accelerating processes involved in Alzheimer’s disease. Learn how to mitigate exposures to environmental toxins like glyphosate in this Aliquot featuring Drs. Dale Bredesen, Michael Snyder, and Rhonda Patrick.