Marion Mortamais1, Jesus Pujol2, Barend L van Drooge3, Didac Macià4, Gerard Martínez-Vilavella4, Christelle Reynes5, Robert Sabatier5, Ioar Rivas6, Joan Grimalt3, Joan Forns7, Mar Alvarez-Pedrerol7, Xavier Querol3, Jordi Sunyer8. 1. ISGLOBAL, Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona, Spain; Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain. Electronic address: marion.mortamais@isglobal.org. 2. MRI Research Unit, Hospital del Mar, Barcelona, Spain; Centro Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental, CIBERSAM G21, Barcelona, Spain. 3. Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research, Barcelona, Spain. 4. MRI Research Unit, Hospital del Mar, Barcelona, Spain. 5. University of Montpellier, , Montpellier, France; 3 EA 2415, Faculté de Pharmacie, Montpellier, France. 6. ISGLOBAL, Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona, Spain; Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain; Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research, Barcelona, Spain. 7. ISGLOBAL, Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona, Spain; Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain. 8. ISGLOBAL, Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona, Spain; Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain; Institut Hospital del Mar d'Investigacions Mèdiques-Parc de Salut Mar, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have been proposed as environmental risk factors for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The effects of these pollutants on brain structures potentially involved in the pathophysiology of ADHD are unknown. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of PAHs on basal ganglia volumes and ADHD symptoms in school children. METHODS: We conducted an imaging study in 242 children aged 8-12years, recruited through a set of representative schools of the city of Barcelona, Spain. Indoor and outdoor PAHs and benzo[a]pyrene (BPA) levels were assessed in the school environment, one year before the MRI assessment. Whole-brain volumes and basal ganglia volumes (caudate nucleus, globus pallidus, putamen) were derived from structural MRI scans using automated tissue segmentation. ADHD symptoms (ADHD/DSM-IV Scales, American Psychiatric Association 2002) were reported by teachers, and inattentiveness was evaluated with standard error of hit reaction time in the attention network computer-based test. RESULTS: Total PAHs and BPA were associated with caudate nucleus volume (CNV) (i.e., an interquartile range increase in BPA outdoor level (67pg/m3) and indoor level (76pg/m3) was significantly linked to a decrease in CNV (mm3) (β=-150.6, 95% CI [-259.1, -42.1], p=0.007, and β=-122.4, 95% CI [-232.9, -11.8], p=0.030 respectively) independently of intracranial volume, age, sex, maternal education and socioeconomic vulnerability index at home). ADHD symptoms and inattentiveness increased in children with higher exposure to BPA, but these associations were not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Exposure to PAHs, and in particular to BPA, is associated with subclinical changes on the caudate nucleus, even below the legislated annual target levels established in the European Union. The behavioral consequences of this induced brain change were not identified in this study, but given the caudate nucleus involvement in many crucial cognitive and behavior processes, this volume reduction is concerning for the children's neurodevelopment.
BACKGROUND: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have been proposed as environmental risk factors for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The effects of these pollutants on brain structures potentially involved in the pathophysiology of ADHD are unknown. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of PAHs on basal ganglia volumes and ADHD symptoms in school children. METHODS: We conducted an imaging study in 242 children aged 8-12years, recruited through a set of representative schools of the city of Barcelona, Spain. Indoor and outdoor PAHs and benzo[a]pyrene (BPA) levels were assessed in the school environment, one year before the MRI assessment. Whole-brain volumes and basal ganglia volumes (caudate nucleus, globus pallidus, putamen) were derived from structural MRI scans using automated tissue segmentation. ADHD symptoms (ADHD/DSM-IV Scales, American Psychiatric Association 2002) were reported by teachers, and inattentiveness was evaluated with standard error of hit reaction time in the attention network computer-based test. RESULTS: Total PAHs and BPA were associated with caudate nucleus volume (CNV) (i.e., an interquartile range increase in BPA outdoor level (67pg/m3) and indoor level (76pg/m3) was significantly linked to a decrease in CNV (mm3) (β=-150.6, 95% CI [-259.1, -42.1], p=0.007, and β=-122.4, 95% CI [-232.9, -11.8], p=0.030 respectively) independently of intracranial volume, age, sex, maternal education and socioeconomic vulnerability index at home). ADHD symptoms and inattentiveness increased in children with higher exposure to BPA, but these associations were not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Exposure to PAHs, and in particular to BPA, is associated with subclinical changes on the caudate nucleus, even below the legislated annual target levels established in the European Union. The behavioral consequences of this induced brain change were not identified in this study, but given the caudate nucleus involvement in many crucial cognitive and behavior processes, this volume reduction is concerning for the children's neurodevelopment.
Authors: Erin R Wallace; Yu Ni; Christine T Loftus; Alexis Sullivan; Erin Masterson; Adam A Szpiro; Drew B Day; Morgan Robinson; Kurunthachalam Kannan; Fran A Tylavsky; Sheela Sathyanarayana; Nicole R Bush; Kaja Z LeWinn; Catherine J Karr Journal: Environ Int Date: 2021-12-11 Impact factor: 9.621
Authors: Amy E Margolis; Ran Liu; Vasco A Conceição; Bruce Ramphal; David Pagliaccio; Mariah L DeSerisy; Emily Koe; Ena Selmanovic; Amarelis Raudales; Nur Emanet; Aurabelle E Quinn; Beatrice Beebe; Brandon L Pearson; Julie B Herbstman; Virginia A Rauh; William P Fifer; Nathan A Fox; Frances A Champagne Journal: Neurosci Biobehav Rev Date: 2022-03-31 Impact factor: 9.052
Authors: Christine T Loftus; Yu Ni; Adam A Szpiro; Marnie F Hazlehurst; Frances A Tylavsky; Nicole R Bush; Sheela Sathyanarayana; Kecia N Carroll; Michael Young; Catherine J Karr; Kaja Z LeWinn Journal: Environ Res Date: 2019-12-23 Impact factor: 6.498