Supplementary Material for: Exposure to low doses of phthalates in male rodents: Effects on reproductive and cognitive behaviors

The nervous system is a sensitive target for exposure to environmental endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDC). This vulnerability is particularly important during the critical windows of development and puberty and lasts even at later stages of life. Among these environmental EDC, phthalates have largely been described for their neurotoxic effects. These effects have been reported for a large majority of studies using high to very-high doses of these substances, which are not relevant for environmental exposure. The aim of this review is to analyze specifically the male rodent studies using low doses of phthalates. This analysis focuses on reproductive and cognitive behaviors, given the described anti-androgenic effects of phthalates and the known regulation of these behaviors by sex steroids. We also analyze the other neural effects in the hypothalamus and hippocampus, the brain regions governing these behaviors. A particular focus is on the neurovascular unit, which is newly investigated in the field of endocrine disruption.