According to experts at Florida State University, an artificial sweetener known as aspartame has been linked to anxiety-like behavior in rodents.
The study was produced and published in PNAS.
The FSU team began their study by administering water with aspartame at about 15 percent the FDA-recommended maximum daily human intake amount to rodents.
The rodents exhibited anxiety-like behavior, with an administration of diazepam reducing the anxiety-like behavior.
“Researchers are planning an additional publication from this study focused on how aspartame affected memory,” a news release of the study reads.
“Future research will identify the molecular mechanisms that influence the transmission of aspartame’s effect across generations.”
