Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 5, 2025

Long-term Behavioral and Reproductive Consequences of Embryonic Exposure to Low-dose Toxicants
Published on: March 6, 2018
Association between mixed exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals and cognitive function in elderly Americans
1Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People's Republic of China; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubating), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, People's Republic of China.
Objectives:
Studies exploring the relationship between mixed exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and cognition are limited, with even more scarce studies conducted in the elderly. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between mixed exposure to five categories of EDCs and cognition in elderly Americans.
Study Design:
Cross-sectional study.
Methods:
727 participants from the 2011-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were incorporated into this study, and the levels of 47 EDC metabolites were measured. Cognitive function was assessed using immediate recall test (IRT), delayed recall test (DRT), animal fluency test (AFT), and digit symbol substitution test (DSST), and all the cognitive test scores were standardized. The individual and combined effects of EDC metabolites on the cognitive function in older adults were assessed using three analytical methods.
Results:
The results showed that exposure to perfluorononanoic acid, polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) 199, and PCB 206 was associated with the z-scores on the cognitive tests. Negative associations between mixed exposure to EDCs and the AFT and Global z-scores and a positive relationship with the DRT z-score were found in the WQS regression. The BKMR results revealed a positive trend between the mixture of EDCs and the DRT z-score. However, compared to the median, exposure to mixtures in the 45th percentile and below was associated with a decreased DRT z-score.
Conclusions:
Mixed exposure to EDCs may adversely affect the global cognitive function in elderly individuals. Necessary measures are needed to restrict EDCs use to protect the cognitive health of older adults.
More Related Videos
08:28Assessment of the Effects of Endocrine Disrupting Compounds on the Development of Vertebrate Neural Network Function Using Multi-electrode Arrays
Published on: April 26, 2018
10:13Assessment of Age-related Changes in Cognitive Functions Using EmoCogMeter, a Novel Tablet-computer Based Approach
Published on: February 14, 2014
Related Concept Videos
Cognitive Development During Adulthood
Aging
Cellular Clock Theory
The cellular clock theory posits that the human lifespan is closely tied to the finite capacity of cells to divide, a phenomenon governed by telomeres, which are protective caps at the ends of...
Cognitive Enhancers: Cholinesterase Inhibitors and NMDA Receptor Antagonists
Types of Toxins
Air pollutants, primarily gases, pose significant threats to respiratory health, leading to conditions like hypoxia, lung cancer, and in extreme cases, death.
Environmental pollutants like...
Psychoneuroimmunology: Diabetes and Cancer
Language and Cognition