There is widespread use and exposure of pregnant women and their infants to pesticides but limited data is available on the long term effects of these neurotoxicants on the growth and neurodevelopment of the children. We propose to continue the longitudinal study (up to age 6 years) of our cohort (N=754) of infants, a high percentage of whom were antenatally exposed to propoxur, bioallethrin, cyfluthrin and cypermethrin (heretofore referred to as pesticides). We have tested these infants up to 2 years of age using the Fagan Test of Infant Intelligence and Griffiths'Mental Development Scales. At 2 years, neurobehavioral testing revealed a significant decrease in Griffiths performance in association with prenatal exposure of the infants, particularly to propoxur. We intend to study the progress of these deficits and to uncover any delayed neurotoxic effects of pesticide exposure in these children.
AIMS : (1) To examine the relationship between antenatal exposure to pesticides and neurobehavioral development of children at 4 and 6 years of age, (2) To examine the relationship between postnatal exposure to pesticides, as measured by analysis of house dust and children's hair, and neurobehavioral development of children at 4 and 6 years, and (3) To examine the relationship between prenatal and postnatal exposure to pesticides and neurobehavioral development at 4 and 6 years. We hypothesize that there will be more neurodevelopmental deficits associated with prenatal or postnatal exposure to pesticides compared to the unexposed group and the deficits will be more pronounced with both pre- and postnatal exposures. METHODS: At 4 and 6 years of age, hair from children in our ongoing study cohort, as well as house dust from their homes, will be collected and analyzed for pesticides by gas chromatography/ mass spectrometry to detect ongoing exposure. The children will be tested at 4 and 6 years with a battery of tests which assess: (1) General cognition, (2) Attention &executive function, (3) Memory, (4) Behavior and (5) Self help. These tests explore the domains and functions of the brain that are affected by pesticides in animal and human studies. DATA ANALYSIS: The outcome measures from these tests will be correlated, after adjustment for confounders, to pre- and/or postnatal exposure to pesticides.

Public Health Relevance

This study utilizes a large cohort of infants for whom we have data on prenatal and early childhood pesticide exposure, as well as assessments of growth and neurodevelopment from birth up to 2 years of age, with a 95% follow up rate. The study is important and relevant to public health since it will provide important and much needed information on the longitudinal, adverse effects on the growth and neurodevelopment of children of carbamates and pyrethroids, which are now widely used. The study is important and relevant to public health since it will provide important and much needed information on the longitudinal, adverse effects on the growth and neurodevelopment of children of carbamates and pyrethroids, which are now widely used.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01HD039428-09
Application #
8055575
Study Section
Child Psychopathology and Developmental Disabilities Study Section (CPDD)
Program Officer
Krotoski, Danuta
Project Start
2000-07-01
Project End
2013-03-31
Budget Start
2011-04-01
Budget End
2012-03-31
Support Year
9
Fiscal Year
2011
Total Cost
$542,846
Indirect Cost
Name
Wayne State University
Department
Pediatrics
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
001962224
City
Detroit
State
MI
Country
United States
Zip Code
48202
Ostrea, Enrique M; Ostrea, Angelo M; Villanueva-Uy, Ma Esterlita et al. (2015) Alluvial and riparian soils as major sources of lead exposure in young children in the Philippines: the role of floods. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 22:5082-91
Ostrea Jr, Enrique M; Villanueva-Uy, Esterlita; Bielawski, Dawn et al. (2014) Trends in long term exposure to propoxur and pyrethroids in young children in the Philippines. Environ Res 131:13-6
Ostrea Jr, Enrique M; Reyes, Alexis; Villanueva-Uy, Esterlita et al. (2012) Fetal exposure to propoxur and abnormal child neurodevelopment at 2 years of age. Neurotoxicology 33:669-75
Ostrea Jr, Enrique M; Villanueva-Uy, Esterlita; Bielawski, Dawn et al. (2011) Analysis of House Dust and Children's Hair for Pesticides: A Comparison of Markers of Ongoing Pesticide Exposure in Children. J Bioanal Biomed 4:
Reyes, A; Pacifico, R; Benitez, B et al. (2010) Use of the Griffiths Mental Development Scales in an agro-industrial province in the Philippines. Child Care Health Dev 36:354-60
Ostrea Jr, Enrique M; Bielawski, Dawn M; Posecion Jr, Norberto C et al. (2009) Combined analysis of prenatal (maternal hair and blood) and neonatal (infant hair, cord blood and meconium) matrices to detect fetal exposure to environmental pesticides. Environ Res 109:116-22
Ostrea Jr, Enrique M; Bielawski, Dawn M; Posecion Jr, Norberto C et al. (2008) A comparison of infant hair, cord blood and meconium analysis to detect fetal exposure to environmental pesticides. Environ Res 106:277-83
Posecion, Norberto C; Ostrea, Enrique M; Bielawski, Dawn M (2008) Quantitative determination of paraquat in meconium by sodium borohydride-nickel chloride chemical reduction and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci 862:93-9
Ostrea Jr, Enrique M; Villanueva-Uy, Esterlita; Ngerncham, Sopapan et al. (2008) An epidemiologic study comparing fetal exposure to tobacco smoke in three Southeast Asian countries. Int J Occup Environ Health 14:257-62
Rohlman, Diane S; Villanueva-Uy, Esterlita; Ramos, Essie Ann M et al. (2008) Adaptation of the Behavioral Assessment and Research System (BARS) for evaluating neurobehavioral performance in Filipino children. Neurotoxicology 29:143-51

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