Jose R Suarez-Lopez1, Naomi Hood2, José Suárez-Torres3, Sheila Gahagan4, Megan R Gunnar5, Dolores López-Paredes6. 1. University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA. Electronic address: jrsuarez@ucsd.edu. 2. University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA. Electronic address: nrh.red@gmail.com. 3. Fundacion Cimas del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador. Electronic address: jsuarez@cimas.edu.ec. 4. University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA. Electronic address: sgahagan@ucsd.edu. 5. University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA. Electronic address: Gunnar@umn.edu. 6. Fundacion Cimas del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador. Electronic address: dlopez@cimas.edu.ec.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The cholinergic system has an important role in mood regulation. Cholinesterase inhibitor pesticides (e.g. organophosphates) appear to increase depression and anxiety symptoms in the few existing animal and human studies. Human studies have not described such associations using biomarkers of exposure and studies among children are needed. METHODS: We studied 529 adolescents (ages 11-17y) in agricultural communities in the Ecuadorian Andes (ESPINA study). Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity was measured in a finger-stick sample. Anxiety and depression symptoms were assessed using the CDI-2 and MASC-2 (greater scores reflect greater internalizing symptoms). Models adjusted for age, gender, hemoglobin, income among others. RESULTS: The median age was 14.38y and 51% were female. The mean (SD) of the following parameters were: AChE 3.7 U/mL (0.55), depression T-score 53.0 (9.4) and anxiety T-score: 57.6 (9.8). Lower AChE activity (reflecting greater cholinesterase inhibitor exposure) was associated with higher depression symptoms (difference per SD decrease of AChE [β [95% CI:]]: 1.09 [0.02, 2.16]), was stronger among girls (β = 1.61) than boys (β = 0.69), and among younger (<14.38y, β = 1.61) vs. older children (β = 0.57). The associations were strongest among girls <14.38y (β = 3.30 [0.54, 6.05], OR for elevated symptoms per SD decrease in AChE = 2.58 [1.26, 5.27]). No associations were observed with anxiety scores. Analyses of AChE change between 2008 and 2016 concurred with these findings. DISCUSSION: We observed associations between a biomarker of pesticide exposure and children's depression symptoms. Lower AChE activity may create risk for depression in teenagers, particularly among girls during early adolescence.
BACKGROUND: The cholinergic system has an important role in mood regulation. Cholinesterase inhibitor pesticides (e.g. organophosphates) appear to increase depression and anxiety symptoms in the few existing animal and human studies. Human studies have not described such associations using biomarkers of exposure and studies among children are needed. METHODS: We studied 529 adolescents (ages 11-17y) in agricultural communities in the Ecuadorian Andes (ESPINA study). Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity was measured in a finger-stick sample. Anxiety and depression symptoms were assessed using the CDI-2 and MASC-2 (greater scores reflect greater internalizing symptoms). Models adjusted for age, gender, hemoglobin, income among others. RESULTS: The median age was 14.38y and 51% were female. The mean (SD) of the following parameters were: AChE 3.7 U/mL (0.55), depression T-score 53.0 (9.4) and anxiety T-score: 57.6 (9.8). Lower AChE activity (reflecting greater cholinesterase inhibitor exposure) was associated with higher depression symptoms (difference per SD decrease of AChE [β [95% CI:]]: 1.09 [0.02, 2.16]), was stronger among girls (β = 1.61) than boys (β = 0.69), and among younger (<14.38y, β = 1.61) vs. older children (β = 0.57). The associations were strongest among girls <14.38y (β = 3.30 [0.54, 6.05], OR for elevated symptoms per SD decrease in AChE = 2.58 [1.26, 5.27]). No associations were observed with anxiety scores. Analyses of AChE change between 2008 and 2016 concurred with these findings. DISCUSSION: We observed associations between a biomarker of pesticide exposure and children's depression symptoms. Lower AChE activity may create risk for depression in teenagers, particularly among girls during early adolescence.
Authors: B J Steinberg; R Trestman; V Mitropoulou; M Serby; J Silverman; E Coccaro; S Weston; M de Vegvar; L J Siever Journal: Neuropsychopharmacology Date: 1997-10 Impact factor: 7.853
Authors: Brenda Eskenazi; Katherine Kogut; Karen Huen; Kim G Harley; Maryse Bouchard; Asa Bradman; Dana Boyd-Barr; Caroline Johnson; Nina Holland Journal: Environ Res Date: 2014-08-27 Impact factor: 6.498
Authors: Amy R Marks; Kim Harley; Asa Bradman; Katherine Kogut; Dana Boyd Barr; Caroline Johnson; Norma Calderon; Brenda Eskenazi Journal: Environ Health Perspect Date: 2010-12 Impact factor: 9.031
Authors: Liliana A Zúñiga-Venegas; Carly Hyland; María Teresa Muñoz-Quezada; Lesliam Quirós-Alcalá; Mariana Butinof; Rafael Buralli; Andres Cardenas; Ricardo A Fernandez; Claudia Foerster; Nelson Gouveia; Juan P Gutiérrez Jara; Boris A Lucero; María Pía Muñoz; Muriel Ramírez-Santana; Anna R Smith; Noemi Tirado; Berna van Wendel de Joode; Gloria M Calaf; Alexis J Handal; Agnes Soares da Silva; Sandra Cortés; Ana M Mora Journal: Environ Health Perspect Date: 2022-09-29 Impact factor: 11.035
Authors: Heba M Fahmy; Eman R Mohamed; Aida A Hussein; Yasser A Khadrawy; Nawal A Ahmed Journal: BMC Pharmacol Toxicol Date: 2022-06-15 Impact factor: 2.605
Authors: C Espinosa da Silva; S Gahagan; J Suarez-Torres; D Lopez-Paredes; H Checkoway; J R Suarez-Lopez Journal: Environ Res Date: 2021-11-03 Impact factor: 8.431
Authors: Ana E Skomal; Jasen Zhang; Kun Yang; Jessica Yen; Xin Tu; Jose Suarez-Torres; Dolores Lopez-Paredes; Antonia M Calafat; Maria Ospina; Danilo Martinez; Jose R Suarez-Lopez Journal: Environ Res Date: 2021-10-08 Impact factor: 8.431
Authors: Jose R Suarez-Lopez; Andrew Nguyen; Joel Klas; Sheila Gahagan; Harvey Checkoway; Dolores Lopez-Paredes; Madison Noble Journal: Expo Health Date: 2020-05-21 Impact factor: 11.422
Authors: Simone Phillips; Jose Suarez-Torres; Harvey Checkoway; Dolores Lopez-Paredes; Sheila Gahagan; Jose Ricardo Suarez-Lopez Journal: Int J Hyg Environ Health Date: 2021-02-10 Impact factor: 5.840