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Long-term Behavioral and Reproductive Consequences of Embryonic Exposure to Low-dose Toxicants
Published on: March 6, 2018
Prenatal exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, fetal thyroid hormones, and infant neurodevelopment
Qian Yao1, Angela Vinturache2, Xiaoning Lei1
1Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Insights
Prenatal exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) like PFBS and PFHxS is linked to lower infant neurodevelopmental scores. Thyroid hormones, including TSH and FT4, partially mediate these negative effects.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Neurodevelopmental Toxicology
- Endocrinology
Background:
- Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are environmental contaminants suspected to harm early neurodevelopment and disrupt thyroid hormone (TH) levels.
- Limited epidemiological data exist on infant neurodevelopmental outcomes following prenatal PFAS exposure and the potential mediating role of TH.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate associations between prenatal PFAS exposure and neurodevelopmental deficits in infants.
- To assess the mediating role of thyroid hormones (TH) in the relationship between PFAS exposure and neurodevelopment.
Main Methods:
- The Laizhou Wan Birth Cohort study included 274 mother-infant pairs (2010-2013).
- Cord serum was analyzed for ten PFAS and five TH. Infant neurodevelopment was assessed at 1 year using Gesell Developmental Schedules (adaptive, social, language, gross motor, fine motor).
- Multivariable linear regressions and mediation analyses were employed to evaluate PFAS-DQ associations and TH mediation effects.
Main Results:
- PFAS exposure was common and associated with decreased infant developmental quotients (DQ).
- Increased perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS) concentrations correlated with lower gross motor and adaptive DQ.
- Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) mediated 12.90% of the PFBS-gross motor DQ association, and free thyroxine (FT4) mediated 19.63% of the PFBS-adaptive DQ association. Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS) also showed a negative association with gross motor DQ.
Conclusions:
- Perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS) and perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS) are negatively associated with early neurodevelopment, particularly gross motor skills.
- Thyroid hormones, specifically TSH and FT4, partially explain the observed neurodevelopmental effects of PFAS exposure.
Background:
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are believed to impair early neurodevelopment and disrupt thyroid hormone (TH) levels. However, there are limited epidemiological data on the neurodevelopmental effects in infancy of prenatal PFAS exposure and the potential mediating effects of TH.
Objectives:
To evaluate potential associations between prenatal PFAS exposure and early neurodevelopmental deficiencies, and assess mediator effects of TH.
Methods:
From 2010 to 2013, 274 mother-infant pairs were recruited to the Laizhou Wan Birth Cohort in China. Ten PFAS and five TH were measured in cord serum. Developmental quotient (DQ) from 5 domains (adaptive, social, language, gross and fine motor) was assessed using Gesell Developmental Schedules for each child at 1 year of age. The associations between PFAS and DQs were evaluated using multivariable linear regressions. TH-mediated effects of PFAS on DQs were calculated by mediation analyses.
Results:
Among our study population, PFAS exposures were common and associated with DQ decrement in infants. For each 10-fold increase in PFBS concentrations, gross motor and adaptive DQ decreased by 8.56 (95%CI: -15.15, -1.97) and 5.87 (95%CI: -8.07, -3.67) points, respectively. TSH mediated 12.90% of the association of PFBS with gross motor DQ and FT4 explained 19.63% of the association of PFBS with adaptive DQ. The negative association was also found between PFHxS exposure and gross motor DQ (β = 8.14, 95%CI: -15.39, -0.98).
Conclusions:
PFBS and PFHxS were negatively associated with early neurodevelopment, especially consistent in gross motor domain. The associations were partly explained by TSH and FT4.
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