Prenatal exposure to a wide range of environmental chemicals and child behaviour between 3 and 7 years of age – An exposome-based approach in 5 European cohorts

Abstract

Background Studies looking at associations between environmental chemicals and child behaviour usually consider only one exposure or family of exposures. Objective This study explores associations between prenatal exposure to a wide range of environmental chemicals and child behaviour. Methods We studied 708 mother-child pairs from five European cohorts recruited in 2003–2009. We assessed 47 exposure biomarkers from eight chemical exposure families in maternal blood or urine collected during pregnancy. We used the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) to evaluate child behaviour between three and seven years of age. We assessed associations of SDQ scores with exposures using an adjusted least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) considering all exposures simultaneously and an adjusted exposome-wide association study (ExWAS) considering each exposure independently. Results LASSO selected only copper (Cu) as associated with externalizing behaviour. In the ExWAS, bisphenol A [BPA, incidence rate ratio (IRR): 1.06, 95% confidence interval (95%CI): 1.01;1.12] and mono-n-butyl phthalate (MnBP, IRR: 1.06, 95%CI: 1.00;1.13) were associated with greater risk of externalizing behaviour problems. Cu (IRR: 0.90, 95%CI: 0.82;0.98), perfluoroundecanoate (PFUnDA, IRR: 0.92, 95%CI: 0.84;0.99) and organochlorine compounds (OCs) were associated with lower risk of externalizing behaviour problems, however the associations with OCs were mainly seen among women with insufficient weight gain during pregnancy. Internalizing score worsen in association with exposure to diethyl thiophosphate (DETP, IRR: 1.11, 95%CI: 1.00;1.24) but the effect was driven by the smallest cohort. Internalizing score improved with increased concentration of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS, IRR: 0.92, 95%CI: 0.85;1.00), however the association was driven by the two smallest cohorts with the lowest PFOS concentrations. Discussion This study added evidence on deleterious effects of prenatal exposure to BPA and MnBP on child behaviour. Other associations should be interpreted cautiously since they were not consistent with previous studies or they have not been studied extensively.

Association of Prenatal Exposure to Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals With Liver Injury in Children

“…We focused on a large list of measured EDCs with well-documented metabolic disrupting actions. 11,28,29 However, other EDCs not measured in our study, such as emerging PFAS exposures, could also be hepatotoxic 57 and warrant attention in future studies. One more limitation is the biomarker-based assessment for NAFLD instead of the criterion standard liver biopsy, which is unfeasible in large-scale, population-based studies of healthy children because of its risk and ethical limitations.…”

Early life multiple exposures and child cognitive function: A multi-centric birth cohort study in six European countries

“…Furthermore, a recent study based on HELIX project data and child behavioural problems (n = 708), using Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), explored 47 exposure biomarkers from eight chemical families during pregnancy. This study used an adjusted least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and ExWAS and added evidence on deleterious effects of prenatal exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) and mono-n-butyl phthalate (MnBP) on child behavior ( Jedynak et al, 2021 ). More recently, we published a HELIX paper using the same exposome and sub-sample, but in relation to ADHD symptoms and externalizing and internalizing problems based on Child Behavior Check List (CBCL).…”

Relationship between Prenatal or Postnatal Exposure to Pesticides and Obesity: A Systematic Review

“…In fact, OCPs have been detected in high amounts in the serum of adults aged 60 and older in USA (for revision see [ 82 ]). Studies simultaneously considering several exposures, or other environmental factors are needed [ 83 , 84 ].…”