Low doses of triclosan may harm zebrafish brains by disturbing their gut bacteria

Three-month exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of triclosan (TCS) significantly enriched gut Proteobacteria and increased lipopolysaccharide (LPS) levels.

• TCS exposure is linked to gut dysbiosis, which may contribute to neurotoxic effects.
• LPS levels increased following TCS exposure, potentially crossing the blood-brain barrier.
• Neuroinflammation and behavioral abnormalities were observed in female zebrafish exposed to TCS.
• Low doses of TCS primarily disrupted gut microbiota, while high doses affected both microbiota-dependent and independent pathways.
• The study's findings highlight the importance of gut microbiota in mediating TCS's neurotoxic effects, although only female zebrafish were used.

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