Paul Tesar, professor and director of the Institute of Glial Sciences, said common household items may have an adverse effect on your health. Tesar’s research showed that exposure to items, such as furniture and electronics, may impair brain function.
"These results suggest that the identified chemicals are potentially hazardous to human health. However, we want to be clear that more studies are needed to make definitive connections between chemical exposure and human disease," Tesar said in a MedScape article by Megan Brooks. "Future studies will need to deepen our understanding of the duration and timing of exposure required to initiate or exacerbate disease. Some of these chemicals have useful roles in our homes, but we need to consider how they're being used and what level of exposure might be considered safe."
MedScape reports that chemicals found in everyday kitchen cabinets could interfere with cell development, particularly those cells integral to the central nervous system (CNS) and brain development.
"Other studies have shown that our exposures to the chemicals in disinfecting agents nearly doubled during the pandemic," Tesar said.
However, he emphasized the need for further research before drawing definitive conclusions. He also underscored the importance of monitoring our exposure levels to these commonplace chemicals, given their suspected impacts.
Despite most research being focused on neurons, Medscape noted that this only represents a small fraction of the whole picture. Less is known about the effects on oligodendrocytes, which are involved with CNS cells. Researchers examined over 1820 chemicals, analyzing their impacts and discovered 'quaternary compounds' were significantly more harmful and potent to human health - a finding confirmed through experimentation on mice.
The Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) website revealed Tesar received his degree in biology from CWRU. His personal laboratory primarily conducts experiments in cell biology and developmental neuroscience, seeking to understand what impairs neurological development. Having served at CWRU School of Medicine since 2010, he continues his studies in cognitive development; specifically exploring cellular and molecular dysfunction.
