Prenatal exposure to certain pollutants linked to behavioral problems in young children
April 12, 2011 in HealthMothers' exposure during pregnancy to pollutants created by the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels and other organic material may lead to behavioral problems in their children, according to a new study. Researchers found that within a sample of 215 children monitored from birth, those children with high levels of a pollution exposure marker in their cord blood had more symptoms of attention problems and anxiety/depression at ages 5 and 7 than did children with lower exposure.
The study, "PAH/Aromatic DNA Adducts in Cord Blood and Behavior Scores in New York City Children,"
is published in Environmental Health Perspectives online April 12, 2011 and is to be released in an upcoming print issue.
The researchers measured a biologic marker or "fingerprint" of exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and other combustion-related pollutants in newborns' cord blood. When inhaled by the mother during pregnancy, these pollutants can be transferred across the placenta and bind to the DNA of the fetus, forming "adducts" in blood and other tissues and providing a biologic measure of pollutant exposure. Mothers completed a detailed assessment of their child's behavior.
In urban air, traffic emissions are a dominant source of the pollutants measured in the study. The authors accounted for other sources such as environmental tobacco smoke and diet in their analyses. None of the mothers in the study were smokers.
The study by researchers at the Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health (CCCEH) and the Institute of Cancer Research in England is the first to examine the behavioral effects of prenatal exposure to these air pollutants in children using a biologic marker.
"The results are of potential concern since attention problems and anxiety and depression may affect subsequent academic performance as well as peer relationships and other aspects of societal functioning," said Dr. Frederica Perera, the study's lead author and Center Director. "Fortunately, it is possible to reduce these air pollutants through currently available pollution controls, energy efficiency, and alternative energy sources."
Provided by
Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health
-
Children's cognitive ability can be affected by mother's exposure to urban air pollutants
Apr 20, 2010 |
not rated yet |
0
-
Closing coal-burning power plant in China and improved cognitive development in children
Jul 14, 2008 |
not rated yet |
0
-
A child's IQ can be affected by mother's exposure to urban air pollutants
Jul 20, 2009 |
not rated yet |
0
-
Research suggests pollution-related asthma may start in the womb
Feb 14, 2009 |
not rated yet |
0
-
Fine particulate matter from traffic may influence birth weight
Jun 25, 2007 |
not rated yet |
0
-
Limits to growth: Scientists identify key metastasis-enabling enzyme
4 hours ago |
not rated yet |
0
-
Seeing is as seeing does: Spatially-structured retinal input in early development of cortical maps
Apr 26, 2012 |
5 / 5 (4) |
1
-
Dreamless nights: Brain activity during nonrapid eye movement sleep
Apr 09, 2012 |
4.4 / 5 (12) |
0
-
Take your time: Neurobiology sheds light on the superiority of spaced vs. massed learning
Mar 28, 2012 |
4.5 / 5 (21) |
3
-
Your brain on 'shrooms: fMRI elucidates neural correlates of psilocybin psychedelic state
Feb 29, 2012 |
4.9 / 5 (42) |
45
-
Classical and Quantum Mechanics via Lie algebras
Apr 15, 2011
- More from Physics Forums - Independent Research
More news stories
Five percent of workers gave up smoking when the anti-tobacco law took effect in Spain
The enforcement of Law 42/2010, which extends the smoking ban to public places, has accompanied a progressive reduction in the percentage of smokers (from 40.3% to 35.3%) and in consumption amongst the working ...
Health
49 minutes ago |
not rated yet |
0
Food fight or romantic dinner? Communication between couples is key to improving men's diets
Married men will eat their peas to keep the peace, but many aren't happy about it, and may even binge on unhealthy foods away from home.
Health
58 minutes ago |
not rated yet |
0
Alcohol intake in the elderly affects risk of cognitive decline and dementia
Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other types of dementia are most common in the very elderly, and are associated with huge health costs. With a rapidly ageing population throughout the world, factors that affect the risk of cognitive ...
Health
3 hours ago |
not rated yet |
0
Interactive website helps parents keep teen drivers safe
Nearly 30,000 parents around the state are using a free, interactive web resource that provides information and tools to help parents protect their teens while they gain experience driving without adult supervision.
Health
5 hours ago |
not rated yet |
0
Cycling may negatively affect male reproductive health, study finds
(Medical Xpress) -- A study by researchers at the UCLA School of Nursing has found that serious male cyclists may experience hormonal imbalances that could affect their reproductive health.
Health
7 hours ago |
not rated yet |
0
|
Researchers spearhead groundbreaking research into treatment of brain swelling
Researchers at Trinity College Dublin have reported the results of groundbreaking research into the prevention of cerebral oedema or swelling of the brain, a major cause of death in people who have sustained a traumatic injury ...
Do bald men face higher risk of prostate cancer?
(HealthDay) -- Got hair? If you don't, you might have a higher risk of prostate cancer, a preliminary study suggests.
Two-step tooth implantation and built-up bone can be longer lasting: study
Periodontists routinely grow bone in the mouth to guarantee a stable environment for teeth and tooth implants. But whether it's better to build up bone before placing the implant, or to simply place the implant and allow ...
Reactions to HIV drug have autoimmune cause, reports AIDS journal
Potentially severe hypersensitivity reactions to the anti-HIV drug abacavir occur through an autoimmune mechanism, resulting from the creation of drug-induced immunogens that are attacked by the body's immune system, according ...
Novel biomarkers reveal evidence of radiation exposure
Researchers at the Medical College of Wisconsin have identified novel biomarkers that could be used to confirm exposure to damaging radiation in large groups of people potentially exposed to unknown and variable doses for ...
Researchers present new findings for novel pancreatic cancer vaccine
A novel pancreatic cancer vaccine shows promise in improving survival when added to standard treatment, according to new research out of University Hospitals Case Medical Center's Seidman Cancer Center and Case Western Reserve ...