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Prenatal perfluoroalkyl substances exposure and neurodevelopment in toddlers: Findings from SMBCS
Boya Zhang1, Zheng Wang1, Jiming Zhang1
1School of Public Health/MOE Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety/ NHC Key Lab of Health Technology Assessment, Fudan University, No.130 Dong'an Road, Shanghai, 200032, China.
Insights
Prenatal exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) may negatively impact child neurodevelopment. Specific PFAS, like PFOA, PFBS, and PFHpA, were linked to lower scores and developmental trajectories in toddlers.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Neuroscience
- Toxicology
Background:
- Prenatal exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is a growing concern for child development.
- Existing epidemiological evidence on PFAS and neurodevelopment is limited and inconsistent.
- This study investigates the association between cord serum PFAS levels and toddler neurodevelopment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the relationship between prenatal exposure to specific PFAS and neurodevelopmental outcomes in children aged 1-3 years.
- To assess both single PFAS and mixture effects on neurodevelopment.
- To examine longitudinal changes in neurodevelopmental trajectories in relation to PFAS exposure.
Main Methods:
- Included 716 children from the Sheyang Mini Birth Cohort Study (SMBCS).
- Quantified 12 PFAS in cord serum and assessed neurodevelopment using standardized tests at 1, 2, and 3 years.
- Employed generalized linear models (GLM), Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR), generalized estimating equation (GEE), and trajectory analysis.
Main Results:
- Prenatal PFAS exposure generally showed negative associations with neurodevelopmental measurements.
- Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) was linked to lower neurodevelopmental scores, particularly in boys.
- Increased exposure to perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS) and perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA) correlated with higher odds of low developmental trajectories.
Conclusions:
- Prenatal PFAS exposure is potentially associated with adverse neurodevelopmental effects in early childhood.
- Findings highlight the need for further research to confirm these associations and understand underlying mechanisms.
- Results underscore the importance of monitoring and mitigating PFAS exposure during pregnancy.
Background:
Prenatal perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure has been reported to affect offspring neurodevelopment, while epidemiological evidences were limited and inconsistent.
Objectives:
We aimed to evaluate the associations between cord serum PFAS concentrations and neurodevelopment in toddlers from 1 to 3 years of age.
Methods:
A total of 716 children from Sheyang Mini Birth Cohort Study (SMBCS) were included in this study. 12 PFAS concentrations were quantified in cord serum. Neurodevelopment was assessed using the Developmental Screen Test for Children Aged 0-6 Years at 1 year and the Gesell Developmental Schedules (GDS) at 2 and 3 years, respectively. Development quotient (DQ) z-score was standardized from DQ to eliminate the difference caused by two methods. We used generalized linear model (GLM) and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) to explore the associations of single or mixture PFAS exposure with neurodevelopment measurements at each time point. Associations between PFAS exposure and longitudinal changes in DQ z-score were investigated through generalized estimating equation (GEE) and trajectory analysis.
Results:
In general, prenatal PFAS concentrations showed negative associations with neurodevelopment measurements at specific age. When accounting for longitudinal changes from 1 to 3 years of age, PFOA was negatively associated with DQ z-score (β = -0.212, 95% CI: -0.422, -0.003), the association was only found significant in boys after stratified by gender (β = -0.327, 95% CI: -0.616, -0.038). Meanwhile, increased PFBS (OR = 2.159, 95% CI: 1.177, 3.959) and PFHpA (OR = 1.700, 95% CI: 1.016, 2.846) exposure was associated with elevated odds for the low-score trajectory group. The results of mixture of PFAS further confirmed above findings.
Conclusions:
Our findings suggested that prenatal PFAS exposure may be associated with adverse neurodevelopment effects in the first 3 years of life. Further studies are warranted to confirm our findings.
