A new study published in Nature Neuroscience on Monday says that two chemicals commonly found in household items like disinfectants and furniture could cause brain problems like autism and multiple sclerosis. This study adds to past research showing these chemicals might hurt people.

The scientists looked at over 1,800 household chemicals that haven't been studied much for how they affect the brain. They found that two of them, called quaternary ammonium compounds (also called “quats” or QACs) and organophosphate flame retardants, might not be good for brain health.

Quats are found in products like body washes, fabric softeners, shampoos, sunscreens, baby wipes, shaving creams and disinfectants like some Lysol, Clorox and Downy products.

The Green Science Policy Institute says organophosphate flame retardants are in electronics, building stuff, and furniture through flame retardant foam and plastic. The study says quats make brain cells called oligodendrocytes die, while organophosphate flame retardants stop them from growing up. When oligodendrocytes don’t work right, it can lead to problems like multiple sclerosis and autism.

Paul Tesar, a director at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and one of the authors of the study, stated that their research will help make smart choices about rules or actions to lessen chemical exposure and keep people healthy.

"Our findings suggest that more comprehensive scrutiny of the impacts of these common household chemicals on brain health is necessary," Tesar said.

The World Health Organization says 1.8 million people around the world have multiple sclerosis. They also found that about one in every 100 kids worldwide has autism.

Researchers in the Nature Neuroscience study pointed out that more people are getting exposed to quats because they have been using more disinfectants since the Covid pandemic. They noticed that the rise in using disinfectants is happening at the same rate as the increase in disorders like autism, autoimmune diseases, and asthma, according to a part of the California Department of Public Health. Because of this and other proof, the agency decided unanimously to look into how quats might be bad for human health.

In the lab, the researchers used cell and organoid systems to prove that quaternary ammonium compounds make oligodendrocytes die, and organophosphate flame retardants stop them from growing up. They showed how these chemicals harm oligodendrocytes in the brains of growing mice. The researchers also found a connection between exposure to one of these chemicals and bad brain outcomes in kids.

"We found that oligodendrocytes -- but not other brain cells -- are surprisingly vulnerable to quaternary ammonium compounds and organophosphate flame retardants," said Erin Cohn, lead author and graduate student in the School of Medicine's Medical Scientist Training Program.

Understanding how people come into contact with these chemicals could help fill in the gaps in knowing how certain neurological diseases start. But the connection between human contact with these chemicals and brain health needs more study, experts cautioned. They suggest that future research should keep track of how much of these chemicals are in the brains of both adults and kids to figure out how much exposure is needed to cause or make diseases worse.

Tesar stated, the results indicate that they need to take a closer look at how these everyday household chemicals affect brain health.

"We hope our work will contribute to informed decisions regarding regulatory measures or behavioral interventions to minimize chemical exposure and protect human health," he said.