In recent years, electronic cigarettes have become increasingly popular among young people, but their potential health hazards have attracted widespread attention. According to the latest research by Professor Zhang Ting's team from the School of Public Health at Southeast University, long-term exposure to electronic cigarettes may have adverse effects on the central nervous system. The team found that the growth, development, and neural behavior of the model organism - Caenorhabditis elegans (hereinafter referred to as "nematodes") were affected by exposure to electronic cigarettes.
The only corresponding author, Zhang Ting, stated in an interview with reporters that over 8 million people worldwide die from tobacco use every year, and adolescent smoking may accelerate the development of chronic diseases. Therefore, conducting a systematic assessment of the exposure risks of electronic cigarettes is of great public health significance for a correct understanding of electronic cigarettes and assisting in tobacco control.
The liquid components of electronic cigarettes have been identified as the fundamental cause of exposure risk. Zhang Ting pointed out, "By analyzing the most popular e-cigarettes on the market, we found that their liquid is mainly composed of propylene glycol, glycerol, nicotine, and benzoic acid." Subsequently, the team exposed the nematodes to the e-cigarette liquid for 72 hours and observed their changes. The results showed that nematodes exhibited adverse effects such as abnormal growth and development, motor disorders, decreased advanced learning and memory abilities, and neuronal damage.
The research team also observed an abnormal increase in nematode motility parameters after withdrawal treatment, especially in the nicotine free tobacco treatment group. Zhang Ting explained, "This is mainly manifested by more chaotic movement trajectories and more abnormal fluctuations in forward and reverse rates." Subsequently, she also explored the different mechanisms of electronic cigarettes on neurotoxicity, pointing out that organic compounds rich in oxygen groups may lead to oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and thus nerve function damage.
Zhang Ting pointed out that due to the second peak of neural development during adolescence, teenagers are more likely to become victims of long-term use of electronic cigarettes. This study provides a theoretical reference for the neurotoxicity of electronic cigarettes and a substantive basis for formulating electronic cigarette control policies.