Brain Anatomy in Latino Farmworkers Exposed to Pesticides and Nicotine

Laurienti, Paul J.; Burdette, Jonathan H.; Talton, Jennifer W.; Pope, Carey; Summers, Phillip; Walker, Francis O.; Quandt, Sara A.; Lyday, Robert G.; Chen, Haiying; Howard, Timothy D.; Arcury, Thomas A.

doi:10.1097/jom.0000000000000712

Cited by 5 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 93 publications

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“…Farmers working with tobacco are likely to be exposed to elevated levels of nicotine in their bodies due to handling tobacco plants on the job. One case-control magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study among Latino farmworkers found that farmworkers had lower gray matter signal in areas including the right ventrolateral prefrontal cortex and right dorsolateral cortex, and higher gray matter signal in the putamen and cerebellum [ 90 ]. When urinary cotinine levels—a measure of nicotine exposure—were included in the analysis, the areas of increased activity in the prefrontal cortex nearly doubled in size.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…When urinary cotinine levels—a measure of nicotine exposure—were included in the analysis, the areas of increased activity in the prefrontal cortex nearly doubled in size. Smoking history was included as a covariate and did not significantly alter the results [ 90 ]. A functional magnetic resonance imaging study on the same population of Latino farmworkers in the US to investigate functional connectivity found that urinary cotinine levels were associated with a difference in modularity of functional brain networks between farmworkers and non-farmworkers [ 91 ].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Risk Factors for Brain Health in Agricultural Work: A Systematic Review

Sturm

Castro

Mendez-Colmenares

et al. 2022

IJERPH

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Certain exposures related to agricultural work have been associated with neurological disorders. To date, few studies have included brain health measurements to link specific risk factors with possible neural mechanisms. Moreover, a synthesis of agricultural risk factors associated with poorer brain health outcomes is missing. In this systematic review, we identified 106 articles using keywords related to agriculture, occupational exposure, and the brain. We identified seven major risk factors: non-specific factors that are associated with agricultural work itself, toluene, pesticides, heavy metal or dust exposure, work with farm animals, and nicotine exposure from plants. Of these, pesticides are the most highly studied. The majority of qualifying studies were epidemiological studies. Nigral striatal regions were the most well studied brain area impacted. Of the three human neuroimaging studies we found, two focused on functional networks and the third focused on gray matter. We identified two major directions for future studies that will help inform preventative strategies for brain health in vulnerable agricultural workers: (1) the effects of moderators such as type of work, sex, migrant status, race, and age; and (2) more comprehensive brain imaging studies, both observational and experimental, involving several imaging techniques.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Risk Factors for Brain Health in Agricultural Work: A Systematic Review

Sturm

Castro

Mendez-Colmenares

et al. 2022

IJERPH

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“…Thus, our results may provide a basis for a theory that imprudent long-term exposure to chemical agents may structurally or functionally aff ect specifi c brain regions and, consequently, the functions mediated by them. Recent studies support this theory [50] although further research is required, in order to draw robust conclusions.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Pesticide Use and its Effects on Daily Functioning among Elderly Farmers

Moza¹,

Hadjigeorgiou²,

Scarmeas³

et al. 2021

J Biomed Res Environ Sci

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Background: Poor pesticide handling practices are recorded on a regular basis in Greece, where the average farmer is elderly. This raises concerns regarding their compliance with pesticide regulations and the associated health implications. Our purpose in undertaking the present study was to examine elderly farmers’ attitudes regarding pesticide handling and safety issues, as well as, the potential link between pesticide exposure and daily functioning capacity. Methods: Participants were 1443 elderly individuals, 276 of whom reported long-term, direct exposure to pesticides (spraying in gardens, open fields, and/or a greenhouse). Several aspects of pesticide handling were gleaned via a self-report questionnaire. Ability to perform everyday tasks was assessed with the Blessed Dementia Rating Scale. Results: On average, participants were not consistent with respect to safety practices. Half could not recall the specific brand names of the pesticides they used and 47.5% reported using chemical cocktails, often exceeding the maximum recommended frequency of applications per year. In many cases, they reported application of banned pesticides, such as DDT, and more than half reported applying pesticides without protective equipment. Analyses showed that exposure to pesticides was associated with impaired everyday functioning (OR = 1.16; 95%, CI = 1.04-1.28) and specifically, with an inability to interpret surroundings and recall recent events, a tendency to dwell on the past and changes in bladder-sphincter control. Conclusion: We found poor awareness and adherence to safety practices regarding pesticide use among elderly farmers, as well as an association between pesticide use and everyday functioning. Relevant health and environmental implications are discussed.

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“…Non-farmworkers could not have worked in occupations in the past 3 years that exposed them to pesticides, such as farm work, forestry, landscaping, and lawn maintenance. The current study used the same population as in [41]. Briefly, 81 of the PACE4 participants were recruited to have a brain MRI scan.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Details of the parent study participant population [42] and this sub-population [41] have been previously reported. Participant characteristics for this study are included here for completeness.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The impacts of pesticide and nicotine exposures on functional brain networks in Latino immigrant workers

et al. 2017

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Latino immigrants that work on farms experience chronic exposures to potential neurotoxicants, such as pesticides, as part of their work. For tobacco farmworkers there is the additional risk of exposure to moderate to high doses of nicotine. Pesticide and nicotine exposures have been associated with neurological changes in the brain. Long-term exposure to cholinesterase-inhibiting pesticides, such as organophosphates and carbamates, and nicotine place this vulnerable population at risk for developing neurological dysfunction. In this study we examined whole-brain connectivity patterns and brain network properties of Latino immigrant workers. Comparisons were made between farmworkers and non-farmworkers using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data and a mixed-effects modeling framework. We also evaluated how measures of pesticide and nicotine exposures contributed to the findings. Our results indicate that despite having the same functional connectivity density and strength, brain networks in farmworkers had more clustered and modular structures when compared to non-farmworkers. Our findings suggest increased functional specificity and decreased functional integration in farmworkers when compared to non-farmworkers. Cholinesterase activity was associated with population differences in community structure and the strength of brain network functional connections. Urinary cotinine, a marker of nicotine exposure, was associated with the differences in network community structure. Brain network differences between farmworkers and non-farmworkers, as well as pesticide and nicotine exposure effects on brain functional connections in this study, may illuminate underlying mechanisms that cause neurological implications in later life.

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Brain Anatomy in Latino Farmworkers Exposed to Pesticides and Nicotine

Cited by 5 publications

References 93 publications

Risk Factors for Brain Health in Agricultural Work: A Systematic Review

Risk Factors for Brain Health in Agricultural Work: A Systematic Review

Pesticide Use and its Effects on Daily Functioning among Elderly Farmers

The impacts of pesticide and nicotine exposures on functional brain networks in Latino immigrant workers

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