Prenatal exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and cognitive ability in early childhood
Background: Prenatal exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) has been associated with adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in children, but evidence remains mixed regarding sex differences in this association. Objective: To examine the prospective association between prenatal PBDE exposure...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2021-01-01
|
| Series: | Environment International |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412020322510 |
| _version_ | 1818388239948447744 |
|---|---|
| author | Naomi Azar Linda Booij Gina Muckle Tye E. Arbuckle Jean R. Séguin Elizabeth Asztalos William D. Fraser Bruce P. Lanphear Maryse F. Bouchard |
| author_facet | Naomi Azar Linda Booij Gina Muckle Tye E. Arbuckle Jean R. Séguin Elizabeth Asztalos William D. Fraser Bruce P. Lanphear Maryse F. Bouchard |
| author_sort | Naomi Azar |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Prenatal exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) has been associated with adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in children, but evidence remains mixed regarding sex differences in this association. Objective: To examine the prospective association between prenatal PBDE exposure and cognitive ability in young children, as well as potential sex differences. Methods: The study was conducted in a multi-site Canadian pregnancy cohort recruited in 2008–11. PBDEs were measured in maternal plasma samples collected early in pregnancy. Cognitive ability was assessed using the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI-III) in children at age 3 years (mean = 3.4). Multiple linear regression was used to analyze the association between maternal PBDE plasma concentrations (lipid-standardized and log10-transformed) and Verbal, Performance, and Full Scale IQ scores on the whole sample and stratified by sex, adjusting for confounders. Results: The sample was composed of 592 children (291 boys and 301 girls). A tenfold increase in maternal blood PBDE concentration (sum of BDE-47, −99, −100, and −153) was associated with lower Full Scale scores in boys (−3.4 points; 95% CI: −7.0, 0.1), after adjusting for confounders. BDE-47 was the congener with the highest concentrations in maternal blood and a tenfold increase in exposure was associated with significantly lower Full Scale IQ scores in boys (−4.4 points; 95% CI: −7.9, −0.9), after adjusting for confounders. Verbal and Performance IQ scores were similarly associated with PBDE exposure. Maternal blood PBDE concentrations were not associated with IQ scores in girls. Conclusions: Prenatal exposure to background levels of PBDEs, especially BDE-47, was associated with lower IQ scores in boys, but not in girls. Our results support that exposure to PBDEs during early development may be sex-dependent and detrimental to a child’s neurodevelopmental trajectory. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T04:22:41Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ddae0a31c1bb430d8b27e548b2e97609 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0160-4120 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T04:22:41Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environment International |
| spelling | doaj.art-ddae0a31c1bb430d8b27e548b2e976092022-12-21T23:17:17ZengElsevierEnvironment International0160-41202021-01-01146106296Prenatal exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and cognitive ability in early childhoodNaomi Azar0Linda Booij1Gina Muckle2Tye E. Arbuckle3Jean R. Séguin4Elizabeth Asztalos5William D. Fraser6Bruce P. Lanphear7Maryse F. Bouchard8Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Center, Québec, CanadaDepartment of Psychology, Concordia University, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Center, Québec, Canada; Department of Psychiatry and Addictology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, CanadaSchool of Psychology, Université Laval, Ville de Québec, Québec, CanadaEnvironmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, CanadaSainte-Justine University Hospital Research Center, Québec, Canada; Department of Psychiatry and Addictology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, CanadaDepartment of Paediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, CanadaSainte-Justine University Hospital Research Center, Québec, Canada; Centre de recherche du CHUS (CHU de Sherbrooke), Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, CanadaFaculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada; BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, CanadaSainte-Justine University Hospital Research Center, Québec, Canada; Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health of the University of Montreal, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Corresponding author at: Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Université de Montréal, 2375 Chemin de la Côte-Sainte-Catherine, Montréal, Québec, H3T 1A8, Canada.Background: Prenatal exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) has been associated with adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in children, but evidence remains mixed regarding sex differences in this association. Objective: To examine the prospective association between prenatal PBDE exposure and cognitive ability in young children, as well as potential sex differences. Methods: The study was conducted in a multi-site Canadian pregnancy cohort recruited in 2008–11. PBDEs were measured in maternal plasma samples collected early in pregnancy. Cognitive ability was assessed using the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI-III) in children at age 3 years (mean = 3.4). Multiple linear regression was used to analyze the association between maternal PBDE plasma concentrations (lipid-standardized and log10-transformed) and Verbal, Performance, and Full Scale IQ scores on the whole sample and stratified by sex, adjusting for confounders. Results: The sample was composed of 592 children (291 boys and 301 girls). A tenfold increase in maternal blood PBDE concentration (sum of BDE-47, −99, −100, and −153) was associated with lower Full Scale scores in boys (−3.4 points; 95% CI: −7.0, 0.1), after adjusting for confounders. BDE-47 was the congener with the highest concentrations in maternal blood and a tenfold increase in exposure was associated with significantly lower Full Scale IQ scores in boys (−4.4 points; 95% CI: −7.9, −0.9), after adjusting for confounders. Verbal and Performance IQ scores were similarly associated with PBDE exposure. Maternal blood PBDE concentrations were not associated with IQ scores in girls. Conclusions: Prenatal exposure to background levels of PBDEs, especially BDE-47, was associated with lower IQ scores in boys, but not in girls. Our results support that exposure to PBDEs during early development may be sex-dependent and detrimental to a child’s neurodevelopmental trajectory.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412020322510Polybrominated diphenyl ethersNeurodevelopmentCognitive abilityPregnancy cohort |
| spellingShingle | Naomi Azar Linda Booij Gina Muckle Tye E. Arbuckle Jean R. Séguin Elizabeth Asztalos William D. Fraser Bruce P. Lanphear Maryse F. Bouchard Prenatal exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and cognitive ability in early childhood Environment International Polybrominated diphenyl ethers Neurodevelopment Cognitive ability Pregnancy cohort |
| title | Prenatal exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and cognitive ability in early childhood |
| title_full | Prenatal exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and cognitive ability in early childhood |
| title_fullStr | Prenatal exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and cognitive ability in early childhood |
| title_full_unstemmed | Prenatal exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and cognitive ability in early childhood |
| title_short | Prenatal exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and cognitive ability in early childhood |
| title_sort | prenatal exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers pbdes and cognitive ability in early childhood |
| topic | Polybrominated diphenyl ethers Neurodevelopment Cognitive ability Pregnancy cohort |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412020322510 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT naomiazar prenatalexposuretopolybrominateddiphenyletherspbdesandcognitiveabilityinearlychildhood AT lindabooij prenatalexposuretopolybrominateddiphenyletherspbdesandcognitiveabilityinearlychildhood AT ginamuckle prenatalexposuretopolybrominateddiphenyletherspbdesandcognitiveabilityinearlychildhood AT tyeearbuckle prenatalexposuretopolybrominateddiphenyletherspbdesandcognitiveabilityinearlychildhood AT jeanrseguin prenatalexposuretopolybrominateddiphenyletherspbdesandcognitiveabilityinearlychildhood AT elizabethasztalos prenatalexposuretopolybrominateddiphenyletherspbdesandcognitiveabilityinearlychildhood AT williamdfraser prenatalexposuretopolybrominateddiphenyletherspbdesandcognitiveabilityinearlychildhood AT bruceplanphear prenatalexposuretopolybrominateddiphenyletherspbdesandcognitiveabilityinearlychildhood AT marysefbouchard prenatalexposuretopolybrominateddiphenyletherspbdesandcognitiveabilityinearlychildhood |