Article
Environmental Sciences
Stephanie M. Holm, John R. Balmes, Robert B. Gunier, Katherine Kogut, Kim G. Harley, Brenda Eskenazi
Summary: This study found that prenatal exposure to outdoor PM2.5 during pregnancy is associated with slightly lower IQ in late childhood, especially in working memory and processing speed. The results suggest that the 5-7 month period of pregnancy is the most susceptible, with differences in the timing and subscales affected in boys and girls.
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES
(2023)
Review
Cell Biology
Giulia Costa, Alexia E. Pollack
Summary: Clinical studies show that pregnant women commonly use prescription, nonprescription and social/recreational drugs, but little is known about the impact on the developing fetus's central nervous system. There is also limited information on how prenatal drug exposure could worsen the effects of drugs consumed by the offspring later in life. This review summarizes recent findings on the central toxicity of various drugs, including analgesics, anti-inflammatory agents, alcohol and nicotine, administered prenatally and postnatally in both animals and humans.
NEURAL REGENERATION RESEARCH
(2023)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Maria Isabel Martinez-Martinez, Antoni Alegre-Martinez, Omar Cauli
Summary: Studies have shown that maternal exposure to phthalates during pregnancy can affect the cognitive and motor development of babies, especially in boys. While most studies found inverse relationships between maternal urinary phthalate concentration and children's outcomes, not all associations were significant, with even positive associations, especially in the third trimester. Further research is needed to analyze sex differences and the impact during breastfeeding.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Meaghan Hall, Bruce Lanphear, Jonathan Chevrier, Rick Hornung, Rivka Green, Carly Goodman, Pierre Ayotte, Esperanza Angeles Martinez-Mier, R. Thomas Zoeller, Christine Till
Summary: A study found that there is an association between fluoride concentration in drinking water and an increased risk of hypothyroidism in pregnant women. Insufficient thyroid hormones during pregnancy may adversely affect offspring development.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Review
Clinical Neurology
Nannan Zhou, Shuang Liang, Xinying Yue, Wangyuan Zou
Summary: While pregnant women often receive anesthesia during surgery, the long-term effects of prenatal anesthesia exposure (PAE) on the offspring's neurodevelopment are still unclear. Animal studies have shown that in utero anesthetic exposure can cause neurotoxicity in newborns, leading to histomorphological changes and altered learning and memory abilities. Regional birth cohort studies based on databases are currently the most convenient and popular type of clinical research, using specialized questionnaires and scales to screen and diagnose neurodevelopmental disorders in offspring. The time intervals between intrauterine exposure and the onset of developmental outcomes vary over several years and are influenced by numerous confounding factors.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Sarah L. Olguin, James F. Cavanagh, Jared W. Young, Jonathan L. Brigman
Summary: Although prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) can impair cognitive control in mice, the effects on neural activity in specific brain regions have not been well studied. In this study, we used dura EEG recordings to demonstrate that PAE mice show altered neural activity in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and posterior parietal cortex (PPC) during a touchscreen behavioral task. These findings suggest potential biomarkers for impaired cognitive function resulting from moderate alcohol exposure during development.
Article
Neurosciences
Elham Alaee, Parisa Moazen, Tommy Pattij, Saeed Semnanian, Hossein Azizi
Summary: Prenatal exposure to morphine has lasting effects on cognitive abilities and inhibitory control in offspring, leading to deficits in task learning and attention in adult life.
PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
J. F. L. Pinner, W. Collishaw, M. E. Schendel, L. Flynn, F. T. Candelaria-Cook, C. M. Cerros, M. Williams, D. E. Hill, J. M. Stephen
Summary: Prenatal alcohol exposure has long-lasting effects on children's development and can lead to behavioral and cognitive deficits. This study used neuropsychological assessments, questionnaires, and brain imaging techniques to compare children with and without prenatal alcohol exposure. The results showed that children with prenatal alcohol exposure had lower performance on cognitive tests, deficits in task-based performance, and increased ADHD behaviors.
HUMAN BRAIN MAPPING
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jin Kim, Junpil Bang, Bokyeong Ryu, C-Yoon Kim, Jae-Hak Park
Summary: This study investigated the potential developmental toxicity of Flubendazole (FBZ) on zebrafish embryos. The results showed that FBZ exposure had concentration-dependent effects on zebrafish embryo survival rate, hatching rate, heartbeat, and developmental abnormalities. FBZ also caused reductions in body length, head size, and eye size, as well as the detection of apoptotic cells in the central nervous system. Gene expression analysis revealed alterations in apoptosis-related genes, neural differentiation-related genes, and neural maturation and axon growth-related genes. Shortened motor neuron axon length and impaired electrophysiological neural function were also observed.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jacob S. S. Aday, Lin Fang, Joshua M. M. Carlson
Summary: Fearful facial expressions are biologically salient signals of potential threat that automatically capture and direct observers' attention. The morphological properties of the eye region, such as sclera exposure, play an important role in nonverbal communication. The study suggests that sclera exposure impacts attention capture and hold by fearful faces, and may represent an understudied variable in social cognition.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Ridwan M. A. Alomri, Gerard A. Kennedy, Siraj Wali, Faris Alhejaili, Matthew Zelko, Stephen R. Robinson
Summary: This study found that nocturnal systolic blood pressure peaks in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) are associated with cognitive dysfunction, particularly in visuospatial function. Nocturnal diastolic blood pressure peaks were not found to be correlated with cognitive impairment in OSA.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Amy E. Margolis, David Pagliaccio, Bruce Ramphal, Sarah Banker, Lauren Thomas, Morgan Robinson, Masato Honda, Tamara Sussman, Jonathan Posner, Kurunthachalam Kannan, Julie Herbstman, Virginia Rauh, Rachel Marsh
Summary: Prenatal exposure to environmental tobacco smoke may have detrimental effects on children's brain structure and function, affecting cognitive control and attention. The study results show that children exposed to ETS had smaller thalamic and inferior frontal gyrus volumes, and exhibited increased brain activation during cognitive conflict resolution.
ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL
(2021)
Article
Toxicology
Chi Ma, Xufeng Li, Hao Xiao, Bin Li, Hanwen Gu, Yu Guo, Hui Wang, Yinxian Wen, Liaobin Chen
Summary: This study found that the use of acetaminophen by pregnant women can have adverse effects on fetal long bone development and multi-cellular function, especially at high doses, multiple treatments, and during mid-pregnancy. The alteration of the canonical Wnt signaling pathway may be a potential mechanism for these effects.
TOXICOLOGY LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Merce Gari, Mariusz Grzesiak, Michal Krekora, Piotr Kaczmarek, Agnieszka Jankowska, Anna Krol, Dorota Kaleta, Joanna Jerzynska, Beata Janasik, Renata Kuras, Anna Maria Tartaglione, Gemma Calamandrei, Wojciech Hanke, Kinga Polanska
Summary: This study found that prenatal co-exposures to lead, mercury, zinc, and selenium have long-term influences on the neuropsychological outcomes of school-age children, as assessed through SDQ and IDS evaluations. The effects were mainly observed in behavioral and emotional problems, as well as cognitive and psychomotor development.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Riley T. Bottom, Olga O. Kozanian, David J. Rohac, Michael A. Erickson, Kelly J. Huffman
Summary: This study used a transgenerational mouse model to investigate the effects of prenatal ethanol exposure on offspring behavior. The results suggest that behavioral abnormalities can be passed down to multiple generations. However, the specific brain mechanisms underlying these behavioral changes remain unclear.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Ariadna Pinar-Marti, Silvia Fernandez-Barres, Florence Gignac, Cecilia Persavento, Anna Delgado, Dora Romaguera, Iolanda Lazaro, Emilio Ros, Monica Lopez-Vicente, Jordi Salas-Salvado, Aleix Sala-Vila, Jordi Julvez
Summary: Omega-3 fatty acids, especially DHA, play a critical role in brain function, particularly during adolescence. While previous research has focused on the cognitive effects of DHA, little is known about DHA and attention in healthy adolescents. This study examined the associations between DHA and ALA, and attention function in a young and healthy population. The results showed that higher levels of DHA were associated with better attention performance, while the role of ALA in attention is still unclear. Further intervention studies are necessary to understand the causality of these associations and provide dietary recommendations for brain health during adolescence.
EUROPEAN CHILD & ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Correction
Environmental Sciences
Annelise Blomberg, Jann Mortensen, Pal Weihe, Philippe Grandjean
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Iben Have Beck, Niels Bilenberg, Soeren Moeller, Flemming Nielsen, Philippe Grandjean, Frederik Damsgaard Hojsager, Thorhallur Ingi Halldorsson, Christel Nielsen, Tina Kold Jensen
Summary: The study found that prenatal and early postnatal exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) may affect intelligence quotient (IQ), especially higher concentrations of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) were associated with lower IQ scores.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF EPIDEMIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Damaskini Valvi, David C. Christiani, Brent Coull, Kurt Hojlund, Flemming Nielsen, Karine Audouze, Li Su, Pal Weihe, Philippe Grandjean
Summary: This study evaluated the genetic heterogeneity as a modifier in the association between perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and insulin sensitivity and pancreatic beta-cell function. The findings suggest that certain genetic variations play an important role in the association between PFAS and insulin sensitivity.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Johanna L. Nader, Monica Lopez-Vicente, Jordi Julvez, Monica Guxens, Tim Cadman, Ahmed Elhakeem, Marjo-Riitta Jarvelin, Nina Rautio, Jouko Miettunen, Hanan El Marroun, Maria Melchior, Barbara Heude, Marie-Aline Charles, Tiffany C. Yang, Rosemary R. C. McEachan, John Wright, Kinga Polanska, Jennie Carson, Ashleigh Lin, Sebastian Rauschert, Rae-Chi Huang, Maja Popovic, Lorenzo Richiardi, Eva Corpeleijn, Marloes Cardol, Tuija M. Mikkola, Johan G. Eriksson, Theodosia Salika, Hazel Inskip, Johan Lerbech Vinther, Katrine Strandberg-Larsen, Kathrin Guerlich, Veit Grote, Berthold Koletzko, Marina Vafeiadi, Jordi Sunyer, Vincent W. V. Jaddoe, Jennifer R. Harris
Summary: The EU LifeCycle Project aims to combine and analyze data from over 250,000 participants in Europe and Australia. This study provides an overview of the available mental health measures in 17 European and Australian cohorts participating in the project.
JOURNAL OF EPIDEMIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Philippe Grandjean, Alessandra Meddis, Flemming Nielsen, Anders Sjodin, Mads F. F. Hjorth, Arne Astrup, Esben Budtz-Jorgensen
Summary: The objective of this study was to test the association between perfluorinated alkylate substance (PFAS) exposures and body weight increases in a dietary intervention study. The results showed that elevated plasma concentrations of PFOA and PFHxS were significantly associated with increased weight gain, exceeding the effects of different diet groups. The findings suggest that obesogenic PFASs may contribute to the obesity pandemic.
Article
Pediatrics
Philippe Grandjean, Yu-Hsuan Shih, Louise Helskov Jorgensen, Flemming Nielsen, Pal Weihe, Esben Budtz-Jorgensen
Summary: A study found that early exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) was associated with lower resistin concentrations at the age of 9, suggesting that infancy may be a vulnerable time window for metabolic programming affected by PFAS exposure.
PEDIATRIC RESEARCH
(2023)
Review
Nutrition & Dietetics
Stephanie K. Nishi, Aleix Sala-Vila, Jordi Julvez, Joan Sabate, Emilio Ros
Summary: Cognitive health is influenced by lifestyle choices, such as dietary intake, and nuts have been hypothesized to be beneficial for brain health due to their nutrient content. Current evidence suggests a possible role for nuts in maintaining cognitive health and preventing decline, particularly in older adults and those at higher risk. Further research is needed to clarify the impact of nuts on cognitive health and the prevention and management of cognitive decline and dementia.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Arto Alatalo, Izaque de Sousa Maciel, Nina Kucharikova, Sweelin Chew, Irene van Kamp, Maria Foraster, Jordi Julvez, Katja M. Kanninen
Summary: Adolescence is a critical period for mental health issues, and early identification is crucial. However, the effective identification of adolescents at risk of developing mental health problems remains understudied. Our study investigated the correlation between circulating cell-free mtDNA (ccf-mtDNA) and inflammatory cytokines in adolescents with mental health difficulties. We found sex-specific correlations between certain biomarkers and mental health problems, providing new insight into potential biomarkers for predicting mental health issues.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Frederik Damsgaard Hojsager, Annika Sigvaldsen, Marianne Skovsager Andersen, Anders Juul, Flemming Nielsen, Soren Moller, Henrik Boye Thybo Christesen, Anders Grontved, Philippe Grandjean, Tina Kold Jensen
Summary: This study found that prenatal and early postnatal exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is associated with lower bone mineral density (BMD) at age 7. The association is stronger for exposure at 18 months than prenatal exposure.
ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Marzanna Marianna Sorensen, Ane Baerent Fisker, Christine Dalgard, Kristoffer Jarlov Jensen, Flemming Nielsen, Christine Stabell Benn, Philippe Grandjean, Amalie Timmermann
Summary: The aim of this study was to identify predictors of infant serum-PFAS concentrations. The study found that the location of residence was the most important determinant of serum-PFAS concentrations among Guinea-Bissau infants, indicating a potential role of diet as affected by the global spread of PFAS, but further research is needed to explore reasons for the regional differences in PFAS exposure.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Fanny Petermann-Rocha, Desiree Valera-Gran, Daniel Prieto-Botella, Dries S. Martens, Sandra Gonzalez-Palacios, Isolina Riano-Galan, Mario Murcia, Amaia Irizar, Jordi Julvez, Loreto Santa-Marina, Adonina Tardon, Jordi Sunyer, Jesus Vioque, Tim Nawrot, Eva-Maria Navarrete-Munoz
Summary: This study found that the use of high-dose folic acid supplements during pregnancy may be associated with shorter telomere length in children at age four, particularly in boys.
Article
Pediatrics
Alexandra Descarpentrie, Lucinda Calas, Maxime Cornet, Barbara Heude, Marie-Aline Charles, Demetris Avraam, Sonia Brescianini, Tim Cadman, Ahmed Elhakeem, Silvia Fernandez-Barres, Jennifer R. Harris, Hazel Inskip, Jordi Julvez, Sabrina Llop, Katerina Margetaki, Silvia Maritano, Johanna Lucia Thorbjornsrud Nader, Theano Roumeliotaki, Theodosia Salika, Mikel Subiza-Perez, Marina Vafeiadi, Martine Vrijheid, John Wright, Tiffany Yang, Patricia Dargent-Molina, Sandrine Lioret
Summary: This study compared lifestyle patterns among preschool-aged children in Europe and found that children from low-income households and born to mothers with low education level were more likely to have unhealthy lifestyle patterns, which were associated with higher BMI. These findings are valuable for informing early multi-behavioral interventions aimed at reducing social inequalities in health in Europe.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kerstin Persson Waye, Jesper Love, Peter Lercher, Angel M. Dzhambov, Maria Klatte, Dirk Schreckenberg, Christin Belke, Larisa Leist, Gordana Ristovska, Sonja Jeram, Katja M. Kanninen, Jenny Selander, Arzu Arat, Thomas Lachmann, Charlotte Clark, Dick Botteldooren, Kim White, Jordi Julvez, Maria Foraster, Jaakko Kaprio, Gabriele Bolte, Achilleas Psyllidis, John Gulliver, Hendriek Boshuizen, Alessandro Bozzon, Janina Fels, Maarten Hornikx, Peter van den Hazel, Miriam Weber, Marco Brambilla, Ella Braat-Eggen, Irene Van Kamp, Natalia Vincens, Equal life Sci Team
Summary: Mental disorders among children and adolescents are a significant global challenge. The exposome framework provides opportunities to understand the causes and processes related to mental health and cognitive development. This paper highlights the importance of a child perspective and the vulnerability of children to environmental exposures. It also emphasizes the interplay between structure and agency.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Pediatrics
Llucia Gonzalez-Safont, Marisa Rebagliato, Ane Arregi, Paula Carrasco, Monica Guxens, Oscar Vegas, Jordi Julvez, Marisa Estarlich
Summary: Sleep problems and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are interrelated in childhood and preadolescence. Sleep problems may serve as an alarm sign for the development of ADHD later on. This study suggests that healthcare systems should focus on children's sleep habits and sleep hygiene to prevent and manage ADHD problems.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PEDIATRICS
(2023)