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DDT and Bird Brains

It may have been banned in the U.S. more than 30 years ago, but DDT isn’t done inflicting its damage.

A new research study published in Behavioural Brain Research finds that American robins are still being exposed to high levels of DDT that persist in the environment, and that this exposure has been shrinking the area of their brains used for singing and mating.

Impaired song production can make it harder for the birds to attract mates, especially if they move to another region, the researchers warn. Ultimately, that could threaten the birds’ survival. The study found that some birds’ brains had shrunken up to 30 percent, compared to birds that were not exposed to DDT.

Though birds are more susceptible to the effects of chemicals in the environment than some other animals, researchers are concerned this study could point to potentially long-lasting harm to humans from exposure to DDT and other environmental pollutants. Though no longer used in the United States, DDT and its harmful effects may be around for decades to come.

To see a copy of the study, please download the pdf.

To read more about this story, read the article in Science Daily or in Live Science.

To read more about this and other environmental health issues, go to: www.environmentalhealthnews.org, www.ourstolenfuture.org, or www.healthandenvironment.org