Dataset Information

Childhood exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and neurobehavioral domains in children at age 8 years.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Toxicological studies have raised concerns regarding the neurotoxic effects of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). However, observational evidence from human studies investigating the association between childhood PFAS and neurobehavior is limited and remains unclear.

Objectives

To examine whether childhood PFAS concentrations are associated with neurobehavior in children at age 8 years and whether child sex modifies this relationship.

Methods

We used data from 208 mother-child dyads in the Health Outcomes and Measures of the Environment (HOME) Study, a prospective pregnancy and birth cohort (Cincinnati, OH, USA). We quantified PFAS in child serum at 3 and 8 years. We assessed neurobehavioral domains using the Behavior Assessment System for Children-2 at 8 years. We used multiple informant models to estimate score changes per ln-increase in repeated PFAS concentrations.

Results

Childhood PFAS were not associated with Externalizing or Internalizing Problems at 8 years. However, we noted effect measure modification by sex, with higher scores in Externalizing Problems among males per ln-unit increase in perfluorononanoate (PFNA) at 3 years (β = 4.3 points, 95% CI: 1.0, 7.7) while females had lower scores (β = -2.8 points, 95% CI: -4.7, -1.0). More Internalizing Problems were observed among males per ln-unit increase in concurrent PFNA concentrations (β = 3.7 points, 95% CI: 0.7, 6.8), but not in females (β = -1.7 points, 95% CI: -4.6, 1.2). Childhood PFNA concentrations were associated with lower scores for attention problems and activity of daily living.

Conclusion

While findings do not consistently support an association between childhood PFAS serum concentrations and neurobehavior, child sex may play a role in this relationship.

SUBMITTER: Vuong AM

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8578387 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Nov-Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Childhood exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and neurobehavioral domains in children at age 8 years.

Vuong Ann M AM Yolton Kimberly K Xie Changchun C Dietrich Kim N KN Braun Joseph M JM Webster Glenys M GM Calafat Antonia M AM Lanphear Bruce P BP Chen Aimin A

Neurotoxicology and teratology 20210824

<h4>Background</h4>Toxicological studies have raised concerns regarding the neurotoxic effects of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). However, observational evidence from human studies investigating the association between childhood PFAS and neurobehavior is limited and remains unclear.<h4>Objectives</h4>To examine whether childhood PFAS concentrations are associated with neurobehavior in children at age 8 years and whether child sex modifies this relationship.<h4>Methods</h4>We used dat ...[more]

PMID: 34438039

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Project description:BackgroundPer- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) may adversely influence cardiometabolic risk. However, few studies have examined if the timing of early life PFAS exposure modifies their relation to cardiometabolic risk. We examined the influence of gestational and childhood PFAS exposure on adolescents' cardiometabolic risk.MethodsWe quantified concentrations of four PFAS (perfluorooctanoate [PFOA], perfluorooctane sulfonate [PFOS], perfluorononanoate [PFNA], and perfluorohexane sulfonate [PFHxS]) in sera collected during pregnancy, at birth, and at ages 3, 8, and 12 years from 221 mother-child pairs in the HOME Study (enrolled 2003-06, Cincinnati, Ohio). We measured cardiometabolic risk factors using physical examinations, fasting serum biomarkers, and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scans at age 12 years. Cardiometabolic risk summary scores were calculated by summing age- and sex-standardized z-scores for individual cardiometabolic risk factors. We used multiple informant models to estimate covariate-adjusted associations of serum PFAS concentrations (log2-transformed) at each visit with cardiometabolic risk scores and their individual components, and tested for differences in associations across visits.ResultsThe associations of serum PFOA concentrations with cardiometabolic risk scores differed across visits (P for heterogeneity = 0.03). Gestational and cord serum PFOA concentrations were positively associated with cardiometabolic risk scores (βs and 95% confidence intervals [95% CIs]: gestational 0.8 [0.0, 1.6]; cord 0.9 [-0.1, 1.9] per interquartile range increase). These positive associations were primarily driven by homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance index (β = 0.3 [0.1, 0.5]) and adiponectin to leptin ratio (β = -0.5 [-1.0, 0.0]). Other individual cardiometabolic risk factors associated with gestational PFOA included insulin and waist circumference. Gestational and cord PFHxS were also associated with higher cardiometabolic risk scores (βs: gestational 0.9 [0.2, 1.6]; cord 0.9 [0.1, 1.7]).ConclusionIn this cohort of children with higher gestational PFOA exposure, fetal exposure to PFOA and PFHxS was associated with unfavorable cardiometabolic risk in adolescence.

Project description:BackgroundStudies of prenatal per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)-related behaviors in children are inconsistent.ObjectivesTo examine associations between maternal serum PFAS concentrations and child behavior in 241 mother-child dyads within the Health Outcomes and Measures of the Environment (HOME) Study.MethodsWe quantified perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), and perfluorononanoate (PFNA) in maternal serum collected during pregnancy or at delivery. We evaluated a total of 17 outcomes of child behavior using the Behavioral Assessment System for Children-2 (BASC-2) at 5 and 8 years (n = 240) and ADHD diagnostic symptoms and criteria with the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children-Young Child (DISC-YC) at 5 years (n = 190). We used linear mixed models and logistic regression with generalized estimating equations to assess associations between PFAS and continuous or dichotomous "at risk" BASC-2 scores; negative binomial regression to calculate incident rate ratios for counts of ADHD symptoms; and Poisson regression with robust standard errors to calculate relative risks of meeting ADHD diagnostic criteria.ResultsEach ln-unit increase in PFOS, PFHxS, and PFNA was associated with higher BASC-2 scores and increased odds of "at-risk" scores for externalizing behaviors, including hyperactivity (PFOS: odds ratio [OR] 2.7, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.2, 5.9; PFHxS: OR 2.5, 95% CI 1.5, 4.3; PFNA: OR 3.2, 95% CI 1.3, 8.0). PFHxS was also associated with internalizing problems (OR 2.0, 95% CI 1.1, 3.4) and somatization (OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.2, 4.0). PFOS and PFNA were significantly associated with 50-80% more DISC-YC symptoms and diagnostic criteria related to hyperactive-impulsive type ADHD. Prenatal PFNA was associated with increased risk of any-type ADHD.ConclusionsPrenatal PFOS and PFNA were consistently associated with measures related to hyperactive-impulsive type ADHD across two validated assessment instruments. PFHxS was associated with increased problems with both externalizing and internalizing behaviors. No associations were noted between PFOA and child neurobehavior.

Project description:Early life exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) may adversely impact neurodevelopment, but epidemiological findings are inconsistent. In the Project Viva pre-birth cohort, we examined associations of prenatal and childhood PFAS plasma concentrations with parent and teacher assessments of children's behavior problems [Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ)] and executive function abilities [Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF)] at age 6-10 years (sample sizes 485-933). PFAS concentrations in pregnant Project Viva mothers (in 1999-2002) and children at ages 6-10 (in 2007-10) were similar to concentrations at similar time points in women and children in the nationally representative U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. We observed no consistent associations of prenatal PFAS concentrations with behavior or executive function. Childhood concentrations of perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), perfluorononanoate (PFNA) and perfluorodecanoate (PFDA) were associated with higher parent-rated SDQ Total Difficulties scores (mean = 6.7, standard deviation (SD) = 4.9), suggesting greater behavioral problems (top (Q4) versus bottom (Q1) quartile PFOA: 1.5, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.3, 2.7; PFOS: 1.4, 95% CI: 0.3, 2.5; PFHxS: 1.2, 95% CI: 0.1, 2.3; PFNA: 1.2, 95% CI: 0.1, 2.2; PFDA: 1.1, 95% CI: 0.0, 1.1); teacher-rated SDQ scores did not show associations. Higher childhood PFOS was associated with higher (indicating more problems) parent-rated BRIEF General Executive Composite (GEC) scores (standardized to mean = 50, SD = 10) (Q4 vs. Q1: 2.4, 95% CI: 0.2, 4.6), while teacher BRIEF GEC scores indicated more problems among children with higher PFHxS (Q4 vs. Q1: 3.5, 95% CI: -0.8, 6.3). There were no consistent patterns of sexual dimorphism in associations. In a cohort of U.S. children, we observed cross-sectional associations of childhood PFAS concentrations with greater behavioral and executive function problems, but no consistent associations with prenatal PFAS.

Project description:BackgroundConcerns remain about the human reproductive toxicity of the widespread per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) during early stages of development.ObjectivesWe examined associations between maternal plasma PFAS levels during early pregnancy and male offspring reproductive function in adulthood.MethodsThe study included 864 young men (age range:18.9-21.2 y) from the Fetal Programming of Semen Quality (FEPOS) cohort established between 2017 and 2019. Plasma samples from their mothers, primarily from the first trimester, were retrieved from the Danish National Biobank and levels of 15 PFAS were measured. Seven PFAS had detectable levels above the limit of detection in >80% of the samples and were included in analyses. Semen quality, testicular volume, and levels of reproductive hormones and PFAS were assessed in the young men. We used weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression to estimate the associations between combined exposure to maternal PFAS and reproductive function, and negative binomial regression to estimate the associations of single substances, while adjusting for a range of a priori-defined fetal and postnatal risk factors.ResultsBy a 1-unit increase in the WQS index, combined maternal PFAS exposure was associated with lower sperm concentration (-8%; 95% CI: -16%, -1%), total sperm count (-10%; 95% CI: -17%, -2%), and a higher proportion of nonprogressive and immotile sperm (5%; 95% CI: 1%, 8%) in the young men. Different PFAS contributed to the associations with varying strengths; however, perfluoroheptanoic acid was identified as the main contributor in the analyses of all three outcomes despite the low concentration. We saw no clear association between exposure to maternal PFAS and testicular volume or reproductive hormones.DiscussionIn a sample of young men from the general Danish population, we observed consistent inverse associations between exposure to maternal PFAS and semen quality. The study needs to be replicated in other populations, taking combined exposure, as well as emerging short-chain PFAS, into consideration. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP10285.

Project description:BackgroundPer- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are public health concerns because of widespread exposure through contaminated foods/drinking water. Although some determinants of PFAS exposure have been suggested, the role of geographic location and race/ethnicity in PFAS exposure has not been well characterized.ObjectivesWe examined potential determinants of PFAS from the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN).MethodsThis study includes 1302 women aged 45-56 years from 5 SWAN sites where white women and women from one minority group were recruited (black from Southeast Michigan, Pittsburgh, Boston; Chinese from Oakland; Japanese from Los Angeles). We determined concentrations of 11 PFAS in serum samples collected in 1999-2000 and examined 7 PFAS detected in most women (>97%). Linear regression with backward elimination was used to identify important determinants of PFAS serum concentrations among a set of pre-specified variables (age, body mass index, site, race/ethnicity, education, financial hardship, occupation, born outside the United States (US), parity, menstrual bleeding within the past year, smoking status, alcohol consumption, and consumption of fish, dairy, pizza, salty snack, and French fries).ResultsSite and race/ethnicity were two major determinants of PFAS. White women had higher concentrations of linear perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) compared with the Chinese in Oakland (p < 0.0001) and blacks in Pittsburgh (p = 0.048). Black women in Southeast Michigan and Boston (vs. white women) had higher concentrations of linear (p < 0.001 for Southeast Michigan; p < 0.0001 for Boston) and total perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) (p < 0.001 for both Southeast Michigan and Boston) and 2-(N-methyl-perfluorooctane sulfonamido) acetic acid (p = 0.02 for Southeast Michigan; p < 0.001 for Boston). Chinese (Oakland) and Japanese (Los Angeles) women had higher concentrations of perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) compared with white women in each site (p < 0.01 for both). Within white women, those in Pittsburgh had relatively higher concentrations of PFAS. Within Chinese and Japanese women, those who were born outside the US had significantly lower concentrations of most PFAS but significantly higher PFNA concentrations. Menstrual bleeding and parity were significantly associated with lower PFAS concentrations. Higher intake of salty snacks including popcorn was significantly associated with higher concentrations of linear PFOA, PFOS and 2-(N-ethyl-perfluorooctane sulfonamido) acetic acid.DiscussionGeographic locations and race/ethnicity play an important role in differential exposure to PFAS, with racial/ethnic burdens differing between PFOS, PFOA and PFNA. Menstruation and parity were also determinants of PFAS concentrations possibly as an elimination route.

Dataset Information

Childhood exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and neurobehavioral domains in children at age 8 years.

Background

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Publications

Childhood exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and neurobehavioral domains in children at age 8 years.

Similar Datasets

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