Journal article
Cadmium exposure and neuropsychological development in school children in southwestern Spain
Environmental research, Vol.134, pp.66-73
10/2014
DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2014.06.026
PMID: 25046814
Abstract
This study assessed the association between cadmium exposure and neuropsychological development in children from a region with high industrial and mining activities in southwestern Spain. We conducted a cross-sectional study with 261 children aged 6–9 years between January and March 2012. Cadmium exposure was measured in urine and hair of children, and neuropsychological development was assessed with the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition (WISC-IV) and with three computerized tests from the Behavioral Assessment and Research System (BARS): Reaction Time Test (RTT), Continuous Performance Test (CPT) and Selective Attention Test (SAT). Multivariate linear regression models, adjusted for potential confounders, were used to estimate the association between neuropsychological development and cadmium exposure measured in urine and hair samples. Geometric means of urine and hair cadmium levels were 0.75μg/g creatinine and 0.01μg/g, respectively. We observed that doubling of levels of cadmium in urine was associated with a reduction of two points (95% CI: −3.8 to −0.4) in the Full-Scale intelligence quotient (IQ) in boys. By domains, association was statistically significant for Verbal Comprehension (β=−2.0; p=0.04) and close to the significance level for Perceptual Reasoning (β=−1.8; p=0.06). Among girls, only Verbal Comprehension showed suggestive associations with cadmium exposure (β=−1.7; p=0.06). Cadmium exposure is associated with cognitive delays in boys in our region. Our results provide additional evidence of the neurotoxic effect of low-level postnatal cadmium exposure among children, and support the hypothesis of differences between sexes in the neurotoxic effect of metals on children.
•This study associates Cd exposure and neuropsychological development in children.•Cd exposure was associated with cognitive delay in boys, but not in girls.•Intellectual quotient of boys decreased two points for a doubling of urine Cd levels.•Verbal Comprehension and Perceptual Reasoning were the most affected domains in boys.•Results support the sex-related differences in the neurotoxicity of metals in children.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Cadmium exposure and neuropsychological development in school children in southwestern Spain
- Creators
- Miguel Rodríguez-Barranco - Andalusian School of Public Health (EASP), Campus Universitario de Cartuja, c/Cuesta del Observatorio 4, 18080 Granada, SpainMarina Lacasaña - Andalusian School of Public Health (EASP), Campus Universitario de Cartuja, c/Cuesta del Observatorio 4, 18080 Granada, SpainFernando Gil - Department of Legal Medicine and Toxicology, University of Granada, Granada, SpainAndres Lorca - Department of Clinical, Experimental and Social Psychology, University of Huelva, Huelva, SpainJuan Alguacil - CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, SpainDiane S Rohlman - Center for Research on Occupational and Environmental Toxicology, Oregon Health and Science University, USABeatriz González-Alzaga - Andalusian School of Public Health (EASP), Campus Universitario de Cartuja, c/Cuesta del Observatorio 4, 18080 Granada, SpainIsabel Molina-Villalba - Department of Legal Medicine and Toxicology, University of Granada, Granada, SpainRamón Mendoza - Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, University of Huelva, Huelva, SpainClemente Aguilar-Garduño - Center for Public Health Research (CSISP-FISABIO), Valencia, Spain
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Environmental research, Vol.134, pp.66-73
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.envres.2014.06.026
- PMID
- 25046814
- NLM abbreviation
- Environ Res
- ISSN
- 0013-9351
- eISSN
- 1096-0953
- Publisher
- Elsevier Inc
- Grant note
- name: Andalusian Health Department (Spain), award: PI0755/2010
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 10/2014
- Academic Unit
- Occupational and Environmental Health; International Programs; Injury Prevention Research Center
- Record Identifier
- 9983997349602771
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