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Long-term Behavioral and Reproductive Consequences of Embryonic Exposure to Low-dose Toxicants
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Prenatal bisphenol exposure and intelligence quotient in children at six years of age: A prospective cohort study

Yao Chen1, Maohua Miao1, Ziliang Wang1

  • 1NHC Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation (Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies), Fudan University, No.779, Old Hu Min Road, Shanghai, 200237, China.

Chemosphere
|May 25, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Prenatal exposure to bisphenol mixtures may impact children's intelligence, particularly in boys. Bisphenol A (BPA) and BPF were linked to lower IQ scores in boys, showing sex-specific effects on cognitive development.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Health
  • Neuroscience
  • Toxicology

Background:

  • Prenatal exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) is linked to cognitive development issues.
  • Evidence on BPA analogues and their mixture effects on child cognition is limited.
  • Understanding these effects is crucial for public health and developmental outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between prenatal exposure to individual bisphenols (BPs) and children's cognitive function.
  • To analyze the joint effects of a mixture of five bisphenols on children's intelligence quotient (IQ).
  • To explore potential sex-specific patterns in these associations.

Main Methods:

  • Quantified maternal urinary concentrations of five bisphenols (BPs) in 424 mother-offspring pairs.
  • Assessed children's cognitive function using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale at six years of age.
  • Employed Quantile g-computation (QGC) and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) models to analyze individual and mixture effects.

Main Results:

  • Higher maternal urinary BP mixture concentrations were non-linearly associated with lower IQ scores in boys, but not in girls.
  • Bisphenol A (BPA) and Bisphenol F (BPF) were linked to decreased IQ in boys and were key contributors to the mixture effect.
  • Bisphenol A (BPA) showed an association with increased IQ in girls, while Tetrachlorobisphenol A (TCBPA) was associated with increased IQ in both sexes.

Conclusions:

  • Prenatal exposure to bisphenol mixtures may affect children's cognitive function in a sex-specific manner.
  • The study provides evidence for the neurotoxicity of BPA and BPF.
  • Findings highlight the importance of considering mixture effects and sex differences in endocrine disruptor research.

Keywords:
Bayesian kernel machine regression modelBisphenol A analoguesCognitive functionPrenatal exposureQuantile g-computation model

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