Exposure to environmental toxicants is linked to long-term adverse outcomes in the brain and involves the dysfunction of glial and neuronal cells. Astrocytes, the most numerous cell type, are increasingly implicated in the pathogenesis of many diseases of the central nervous system, including neurodegenerative diseases. Astrocytes are critical for proper brain function in part due to their robust antioxidant and unique metabolic capabilities. Additionally, astrocytes are positioned both at the blood-brain barrier, where they are the primary responders to xenobiotic penetrance of the CNS, and at synapses where they are in close contact with neurons and synaptic machinery. While exposure to several classes of environmental toxicants, including chlorinated and fluorinated compounds, and trace metals, have been implicated in neurodegenerative diseases, their impact on astrocytes represents an important and growing field of research. Here, we review existing literature focused on the impact of a range of synthetic compounds on astrocytic function. We focus specifically on perturbed metabolic processes in response to these compounds and consider how perturbation of these pathways impacts disease pathogenesis.

暴露于环境有毒物质与大脑的长期不良后果有关，并涉及神经胶质细胞和神经元细胞的功能障碍。星形胶质细胞是数量最多的细胞类型，越来越多地牵涉到许多中枢神经系统疾病（包括神经退行性疾病）的发病机理中。星形胶质细胞对于正常的大脑功能至关重要，部分原因是其强大的抗氧化剂和独特的代谢能力。此外，星形胶质细胞既位于血脑屏障，是中枢神经系统对异源生物渗透的主要反应者，又位于与神经元和突触机构紧密接触的突触处。虽然接触神经毒性退行性疾病涉及多种类别的环境毒物，包括氯化和氟化化合物以及微量金属，它们对星形胶质细胞的影响代表了重要且不断发展的研究领域。在这里，我们回顾了现有文献，这些文献集中在一系列合成化合物对星形细胞功能的影响上。我们专门针对这些化合物的摄动代谢过程进行研究，并考虑这些通路的摄动如何影响疾病的发病机理。