Association of exposure to mixture of chemicals during pregnancy with cognitive abilities and fine motor function of children
Year: 2024
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Chemical exposures often occur in mixtures and exposures during pregnancy may lead to adverse effects on the fetal brain, potentially reducing lower cognitive abilities and fine motor function of the child. We investigated the association of motheŕs exposure to a mixture of chemicals during pregnancy (i.e., organochlorine compounds, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, phenols, phthalates, organophosphate pesticides) with cognitive abilties and fine motor function in their children. We studied 1097 mother-child pairs from five European cohorts participating in the Human Early Life Exposome study (HELIX). Measurement of 26 biomarkers of exposure to chemicals was performed on urine or blood samples of pregnant women (mean age 31 years). Cognitive abilities and fine motor function were assessed in their children (mean age 8 years) with a battery of computerized tests administered in person (Raveńs Coloured Progressive Matrices, Attention Network Test, N-back Test, Trail Making Test, Finger Tapping Test). We estimated the joint effect of prenatal exposure to chemicals on cognitive abilities and fine motor function using the quantile-based g-computation method, adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics. A quartile increase in all the chemicals in the overall mixture was associated with worse fine motor function, specifically lower scores in the Finger Tapping Test [-8.5 points, 95 % confidence interval (CI) -13.6 to -3.4; -14.5 points, 95 % CI -22.4 to -6.6, and -18.0 points, 95 % CI -28.6 to -7.4) for the second, third and fourth quartile of the overal mixture, respectively, when compared to the first quartile]. Organochlorine compounds, phthalates, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances contributed most to this association. We did not find a relationship with cognitive abilities. We conclude that exposure to chemical mixtures during pregnancy may influence neurodevelopment, impacting fine motor function of the offspring.
Source: Environment International
Institutions: Charles University, Erasmus MC, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Institut de Recerca Biomèdica Catalunya Sud, Barcelona Institute for Global Health, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública, University of Crete, Karolinska Institutet, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Inserm, Institut pour l'avancée des biosciences, Université Grenoble Alpes, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Bradford Institute for Health Research, Harvard University
Language: English
Subfield: Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,980
Funders: Fundació la Marató de TV3, Centres de Recerca de Catalunya, National Institute for Health and Care Research, British Heart Foundation, Department of Health and Social Care, European Commission, Agence Nationale de la Recherche, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Generalitat de Catalunya, Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale, Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, General Secretariat for Research and Technology, Helse- og Omsorgsdepartementet, University of Crete, Université Paris-Sud, Agence Nationale de Sécurité Sanitaire de l’Alimentation, de l’Environnement et du Travail, Mutuelle Générale de l'Education Nationale, Institut pour la Recherche en Santé Publique, Medical Research Council, Economic and Social Research Council, Agència de Gestió d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Agencia Estatal de Investigación, CHIST-ERA, NextGenerationEU
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OpenAlex ID: W4391678855