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Organophosphorus pesticide exposure and neurobehavioral performance in Latino children living in an orchard community
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Organophosphorus pesticide exposure and neurobehavioral performance in Latino children living in an orchard community

Jaime Butler-Dawson, Kit Galvin, Peter S Thorne and Diane S Rohlman
Neurotoxicology (Park Forest South), Vol.53, pp.165-172
03/2016
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2016.01.009
PMCID: PMC5223784
PMID: 26820522
url
http://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuro.2016.01.009View
Open Access

Abstract

•We evaluated OP residues in carpet samples in an orchard community.•Higher OP levels in homes of agricultural workers than of non-agricultural workers.•We examined Latino children’s NB outcomes at two time points.•Agricultural children show learning deficits compared to non-agricultural children. Children living in agricultural communities have a greater risk from pesticides due to para-occupational pathways. The goal of this study was to assess the impact of exposure to organophosphorus pesticides on the neurobehavioral performance of school-aged Latino children over time. Two exposure measures were used to estimate children’s pesticide exposure: parent's occupation (agricultural or non-agricultural) and organophosphate residues in home carpet dust samples. During 2008–2011, 206 school-aged children completed a battery of neurobehavioral tests two times, approximately one year apart. The associations between both exposure measures and neurobehavioral performance were examined. Pesticide residues were detected in dust samples from both agricultural and non-agricultural homes, however, pesticides were detected more frequently and in higher concentrations in agricultural homes compared to non-agricultural homes. Although few differences were found between agricultural and non-agricultural children at both visits, deficits in learning from the first visit to the second visit, or less improvement, was found in agricultural children relative to non-agricultural children. These differences were significant for the Divided Attention and Purdue Pegboard tests. These findings are consistent with previous research showing deficits in motor function. A summary measure of organophosphate residues was not associated with neurobehavioral performance. Results from this study indicate that children in agricultural communities are at increased risk from pesticides as a result of a parent working in agricultural. Our findings suggest that organophosphate exposure may be associated with deficits in learning on neurobehavioral performance, particularly in tests of with motor function. In spite of regulatory phasing out of organophosphates in the U.S., we still see elevated levels and higher detection rates of several organophosphates in agricultural households than non-agricultural households, albeit lower levels than prior studies.
 Organophosphate pesticide Children’s health Neurobehavioral development

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