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Associations between particulate matter exposure during pregnancy and executive function of toddlers in a prospective
Lei Zhang1, Yuanyuan Zhu1, Haixia Wang1
1Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China; MOE Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle, Hefei, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract, Hefei, China; Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Environment and Population Health across the Life Course, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
Insights
Prenatal exposure to fine particulate matter (PM) is linked to poorer toddler executive function (EF). Breastfeeding may offer a protective effect against these adverse effects.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Developmental Psychology
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Particulate matter (PM) exposure is associated with cognitive impairments.
- Limited research exists on prenatal PM exposure and toddler executive function (EF).
- The potential protective role of breastfeeding in this context is under-investigated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between prenatal exposure to PM (PM1, PM2.5, PM10) and toddler executive function.
- To explore the potential moderating effect of breastfeeding duration on the relationship between prenatal PM exposure and toddler EF.
Main Methods:
- 1106 mother-toddler pairs were recruited between 2015-2019.
- Mothers' prenatal exposure to PM1, PM2.5, and PM10 was estimated using a satellite-based dataset (1x1km resolution) assigned by residential addresses.
- Toddler EF was assessed using the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function for Preschoolers (BRIEF-P) questionnaire.
Main Results:
- Increased first-trimester exposure to PM1, PM2.5, and PM10 was associated with higher toddler global executive composite index scores (poorer EF).
- First-trimester PM1 exposure was linked to higher inhibition scores in toddlers breastfed for <6 months, but not those breastfed for ≥6 months (P=0.046).
- First-trimester PM1 exposure was associated with higher emotional control scores in toddlers breastfed for <12 months, and higher inhibition scores in those breastfed for ≥12 months (P=0.043).
Conclusions:
- Prenatal exposure to PM, particularly PM1, during the first trimester is associated with diminished toddler executive function.
- Breastfeeding, especially for longer durations, may act as a protective factor against the negative impacts of prenatal PM exposure on toddler EF.
Background:
Exposure to particulate matter (PM) has been found to be associated with impaired cognitive function. However, limited evidence is available on the relationship between PM exposure in the prenatal period and toddler executive function (EF), and the potential influence of breastfeeding.
Methods:
The study included 1106 mother-toddler pairs recruited between 2015 and 2019. We assessed mothers' PM1, PM2.5, and PM10 prenatal exposure with a satellite-based dataset at a 1 × 1 km spatial resolution and assigned to participants based on residential addresses. Toddler EF was measured using the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function for Preschoolers (BRIEF-P) questionnaire, higher BRIEF-P scores indicated poorer EF in toddlers. We determined the associations of PM exposure during pregnancy with BRIEF-P scores using multiple linear regression models.
Results:
In the first trimester, a 10 μg/m3 increase of PM was associated with 1.49 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.14-2.83; PM1), 0.68 (95% CI: 0.10-1.26; PM2.5), and 0.63 (95% CI: 0.07-1.20; PM10) elevated toddler global executive composite index scores, respectively. In the stratified analysis, a 10 μg/m3 increase in first trimester PM1 exposure was related to 0.54 (95% CI: 0.19-0.89) higher inhibition scores in toddlers who received complementary breastfeeding for less than six months and -0.15 (95% CI: 0.81-0.51) higher inhibition scores in toddlers who received complementary breastfeeding for six months or more (P for interaction: 0.046). Additionally, a 10 μg/m3 increment in first trimester PM1 exposure was related to 0.36 (95% CI: 0.13-0.59) higher emotional control scores in toddlers who received breastfeeding for less than 12 months and -0.54 (95% CI: 1.25-0.18) higher inhibition scores in toddlers who received breastfeeding for no less than 12 months (P for interaction: 0.043).
Conclusions:
PM exposure during the first trimester, especially PM1, has been linked to lower toddler EF performance in toddlers; feeding with breast milk may be a potential protective measure.
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