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Combined Effects of PFAS and Metals on Cognitive Function
Adeola Shogbaike1,2, Emmanuel Obeng-Gyasi1,2
1Department of Built Environment, North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, NC 27411, USA.
Joint exposure to heavy metals and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) impacts cognitive function, particularly memory, in older adults. Mixture analysis reveals PFAS as a key factor influencing cognitive decline with combined environmental contaminant exposure.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Neuroscience
- Toxicology
Background:
- Heavy metals and PFAS are prevalent environmental pollutants.
- Previous research links these pollutants to cognitive decline.
- The combined effects of heavy metals and PFAS on cognition are not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the joint associations of heavy metals and PFAS with cognitive performance in older adults.
- To evaluate how these environmental contaminants interact to affect distinct cognitive domains.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 1447 adults aged 60+ from the 2011-2012 NHANES cycle.
- Measurement of serum and whole blood metal levels.
- Assessment of cognitive function using CERAD word-learning/recall, Animal Fluency, and Digit Symbol Substitution Test.
- Application of multivariable linear regression and Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression (BKMR) for mixture analysis.
Main Results:
- Single exposures showed modest and inconsistent cognitive associations.
- PFAS (PFOA, PFDE, PFOS) were consistently influential in mixture models.
- Joint exposure, particularly to PFAS, showed the strongest negative impact on memory-related cognitive measures (CERAD Trials 1 and 2).
Conclusions:
- Combined exposure to PFAS and heavy metals affects cognitive domains differently.
- Memory functions appear most sensitive to rising levels of combined environmental contaminants.
- Mixture-based analytical approaches are valuable for studying environmental contaminants and cognitive aging.
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