New York, NY (April 24, 2026) Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai report that early-life exposure to common environmental metals may influence brain development and behavioral health more than a decade later. The study, published in Science Advances, is the first to combine naturally shed baby teeth with advanced brain imaging to pinpoint specific weeks during pregnancy and infancy when the developing brain appears most vulnerable to environmental exposures.
The research provides compelling new evidence that environmental conditions in the earliest months of life can leave measurable “fingerprints” on the adolescent brain—highlighting the importance of environmental protections for pregnant people and infants.
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