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Cotter DL, Morrel J, Sukumaran K, Cardenas-Iniguez C, Schwartz J, Herting MM. Prenatal and childhood air pollution exposure, cellular immune biomarkers, and brain connectivity in early adolescents. Brain Behav Immun Health 2024; 38:100799. [PMID: 39021436 PMCID: PMC11252082 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbih.2024.100799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Ambient air pollution is a neurotoxicant with hypothesized immune-related mechanisms. Adolescent brain structural and functional connectivity may be especially vulnerable to ambient pollution due to the refinement of large-scale brain networks during this period, which vary by sex and have important implications for cognitive, behavioral, and emotional functioning. In the current study we explored associations between air pollutants, immune markers, and structural and functional connectivity in early adolescence by leveraging cross-sectional sex-stratified data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development℠ Study®. Methods Pollutant concentrations of fine particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, and ozone were assigned to each child's primary residential address during the prenatal period and childhood (9-10 years-old) using an ensemble-based modeling approach. Data collected at 11-13 years-old included resting-state functional connectivity of the default mode, frontoparietal, and salience networks and limbic regions of interest, intracellular directional and isotropic diffusion of available white matter tracts, and markers of cellular immune activation. Using partial least squares correlation, a multivariate data-driven method that identifies important variables within latent dimensions, we investigated associations between 1) pollutants and structural and functional connectivity, 2) pollutants and immune markers, and 3) immune markers and structural and functional connectivity, in each sex separately. Results Air pollution exposure was related to white matter intracellular directional and isotropic diffusion at ages 11-13 years, but the direction of associations varied by sex. There were no associations between pollutants and resting-state functional connectivity at ages 11-13 years. Childhood exposure to nitrogen dioxide was negatively correlated with white blood cell count in males. Immune biomarkers were positively correlated with white matter intracellular directional diffusion in females and both white matter intracellular directional and isotropic diffusion in males. Lastly, there was a reliable negative correlation between lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio and default mode network resting-state functional connectivity in females, as well as a compromised immune marker profile associated with lower resting-state functional connectivity between the salience network and the left hippocampus in males. In post-hoc exploratory analyses, we found that the PLSC-identified white matter tracts and resting-state networks related to processing speed and cognitive control performance from the NIH Toolbox. Conclusions We identified novel links between childhood nitrogen dioxide and cellular immune activation in males, and brain network connectivity and immune markers in both sexes. Future research should explore the potentially mediating role of immune activity in how pollutants affect neurological outcomes as well as the potential consequences of immune-related patterns of brain connectivity in service of improved brain health for all.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devyn L. Cotter
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jessica Morrel
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Kirthana Sukumaran
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Carlos Cardenas-Iniguez
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Joel Schwartz
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Megan M. Herting
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Bottenhorn KL, Sukumaran K, Cardenas-Iniguez C, Habre R, Schwartz J, Chen JC, Herting MM. Air pollution from biomass burning disrupts early adolescent cortical microarchitecture development. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2024; 189:108769. [PMID: 38823157 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/03/2024]
Abstract
Exposure to outdoor particulate matter (PM2.5) represents a ubiquitous threat to human health, and particularly the neurotoxic effects of PM2.5 from multiple sources may disrupt neurodevelopment. Studies addressing neurodevelopmental implications of PM exposure have been limited by small, geographically limited samples and largely focus either on macroscale cortical morphology or postmortem histological staining and total PM mass. Here, we leverage residentially assigned exposure to six, data-driven sources of PM2.5 and neuroimaging data from the longitudinal Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study (ABCD Study®), collected from 21 different recruitment sites across the United States. To contribute an interpretable and actionable assessment of the role of air pollution in the developing brain, we identified alterations in cortical microstructure development associated with exposure to specific sources of PM2.5 using multivariate, partial least squares analyses. Specifically, average annual exposure (i.e., at ages 8-10 years) to PM2.5 from biomass burning was related to differences in neurite development across the cortex between 9 and 13 years of age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine L Bottenhorn
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA.
| | - Kirthana Sukumaran
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Carlos Cardenas-Iniguez
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Rima Habre
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Spatial Sciences Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Joel Schwartz
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jiu-Chiuan Chen
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Neurology, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Megan M Herting
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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Bottenhorn KL, Sukumaran K, Cardenas-Iniguez C, Habre R, Schwartz J, Chen JC, Herting MM. Air pollution from biomass burning disrupts early adolescent cortical microarchitecture development. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.10.21.563430. [PMID: 38798573 PMCID: PMC11118378 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.21.563430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Exposure to outdoor particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) represents a ubiquitous threat to human health, and particularly the neurotoxic effects of PM 2.5 from multiple sources may disrupt neurodevelopment. Studies addressing neurodevelopmental implications of PM exposure have been limited by small, geographically limited samples and largely focus either on macroscale cortical morphology or postmortem histological staining and total PM mass. Here, we leverage residentially assigned exposure to six, data-driven sources of PM 2.5 and neuroimaging data from the longitudinal Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study (ABCD Study®), collected from 21 different recruitment sites across the United States. To contribute an interpretable and actionable assessment of the role of air pollution in the developing brain, we identified alterations in cortical microstructure development associated with exposure to specific sources of PM 2.5 using multivariate, partial least squares analyses. Specifically, average annual exposure (i.e., at ages 8-10 years) to PM 2.5 from biomass burning was related to differences in neurite development across the cortex between 9 and 13 years of age.
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4
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Smith OV, Penhale SH, Ott LR, Rice DL, Coutant AT, Glesinger R, Wilson TW, Taylor BK. Everyday home radon exposure is associated with altered structural brain morphology in youths. Neurotoxicology 2024; 102:114-120. [PMID: 38703899 PMCID: PMC11139553 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2024.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024]
Abstract
The refinement of brain morphology extends across childhood, and exposure to environmental toxins during this period may alter typical trends. Radon is a highly common radiologic toxin with a well-established role in cancer among adults. However, effects on developmental populations are understudied in comparison. This study investigated whether home radon exposure is associated with altered brain morphology in youths. Fifty-four participants (6-14 yrs, M=10.52 yrs, 48.15% male, 89% White) completed a T1-weighted MRI and home measures of radon. We observed a significant multivariate effect of home radon concentrations, which was driven by effects on GMV. Specifically, higher home radon was associated with smaller GMV (F=6.800, p=.012, ηp2=.13). Conversely, there was a trending radon-by-age interaction on WMV, which reached significance when accounting for the chronicity of radon exposure (F=4.12, p=.049, ηp2=.09). We found that youths with above-average radon exposure showed no change in WMV with age, whereas low radon was linked with normative, age-related WMV increases. These results suggest that everyday home radon exposure may alter sensitive structural brain development, impacting developmental trajectories in both gray and white matter.
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Affiliation(s)
- OgheneTejiri V Smith
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town NE, USA; Center for Pediatric Brain Health, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
| | - Samantha H Penhale
- Clinical and Health Psychology Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Lauren R Ott
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town NE, USA
| | - Danielle L Rice
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town NE, USA; Center for Pediatric Brain Health, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
| | - Anna T Coutant
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town NE, USA; Center for Pediatric Brain Health, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
| | - Ryan Glesinger
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town NE, USA; Center for Pediatric Brain Health, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
| | - Tony W Wilson
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town NE, USA; Center for Pediatric Brain Health, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA; Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Creighton University, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Brittany K Taylor
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town NE, USA; Center for Pediatric Brain Health, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA; Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Creighton University, Omaha, NE, USA.
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Polemiti E, Hese S, Schepanski K, Yuan J, Schumann G. How does the macroenvironment influence brain and behaviour-a review of current status and future perspectives. Mol Psychiatry 2024:10.1038/s41380-024-02557-x. [PMID: 38658771 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02557-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
The environment influences brain and mental health, both detrimentally and beneficially. Existing research has emphasised the individual psychosocial 'microenvironment'. Less attention has been paid to 'macroenvironmental' challenges, including climate change, pollution, urbanicity, and socioeconomic disparity. Notably, the implications of climate and pollution on brain and mental health have only recently gained prominence. With the advent of large-scale big-data cohorts and an increasingly dense mapping of macroenvironmental parameters, we are now in a position to characterise the relation between macroenvironment, brain, and behaviour across different geographic and cultural locations globally. This review synthesises findings from recent epidemiological and neuroimaging studies, aiming to provide a comprehensive overview of the existing evidence between the macroenvironment and the structure and functions of the brain, with a particular emphasis on its implications for mental illness. We discuss putative underlying mechanisms and address the most common exposures of the macroenvironment. Finally, we identify critical areas for future research to enhance our understanding of the aetiology of mental illness and to inform effective interventions for healthier environments and mental health promotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elli Polemiti
- Centre of Population Neuroscience and Stratified Medicine (PONS), Department of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience CCM, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Sören Hese
- Institute of Geography, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | | | - Jiacan Yuan
- Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences & Institute of Atmospheric Sciences & CMA-FDU Joint Laboratory of Marine Meteorology & IRDR-ICOE on Risk Interconnectivity and Governance on Weather/Climate Extremes Impact and Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Gunter Schumann
- Centre of Population Neuroscience and Stratified Medicine (PONS), Department of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience CCM, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
- Centre for Population Neuroscience and Stratified Medicine (PONS), Institute for Science and Technology of Brain-inspired Intelligence (ISTBI), Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
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Binter AC, Granés L, Bannier E, de Castro M, Petricola S, Fossati S, Vrijheid M, Chevrier C, El Marroun H, Nieuwenhuijsen M, Saint-Amour D, Tiemeier H, Guxens M. Urban environment during pregnancy and childhood and white matter microstructure in preadolescence in two European birth cohorts. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 346:123612. [PMID: 38387546 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Revised: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 02/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
Growing evidence suggests that urban environment may influence cognition and behavior in children, but the underlying pollutant and neurobiological mechanisms are unclear. We evaluated the association of built environment and urban natural space indicators during pregnancy and childhood with brain white matter microstructure in preadolescents, and examined the potential mediating role of air pollution and road-traffic noise. We used data of the Generation R Study, a population-based birth cohort in Rotterdam, the Netherlands (n = 2725; 2002-2006) for the primary analyses. Replication of the main findings was attempted on an independent neuroimaging dataset from the PELAGIE birth cohort, France (n = 95; 2002-2006). We assessed exposures to 12 built environment and 4 urban natural spaces indicators from conception up to 9 years of age. We computed 2 white matter microstructure outcomes (i.e., average of fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) from 12 white matte tracts) from diffusion tensor imaging data. Greater distance to the nearest major green space during pregnancy was associated with higher whole-brain FA (0.001 (95%CI 0.000; 0.002) per 7 m increase), and higher land use diversity during childhood was associated with lower whole-brain MD (-0.001 (95%CI -0.002; -0.000) per 0.12-point increase), with no evidence of mediation by air pollution nor road-traffic noise. Higher percentage of transport and lower surrounding greenness during pregnancy were associated with lower whole-brain FA, and road-traffic noise mediated 19% and 52% of these associations, respectively. We found estimates in the same direction in the PELAGIE cohort, although confidence intervals were larger and included the null. This study suggests an association between urban environment and white matter microstructure, mainly through road-traffic noise, indicating that greater access to green space nearby might promote white matter development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne-Claire Binter
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain
| | - Laura Granés
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain; Department of Psychiatry, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute-IDIBELL, Bellvitge University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Elise Bannier
- Inria, CRNS, Inserm, IRISA UMR 6074, Empenn U1228, Univ Rennes, Rennes, France; CHU Rennes, Department of Radiology, Rennes, France
| | - Montserrat de Castro
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain
| | - Sami Petricola
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain
| | - Serena Fossati
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain
| | - Martine Vrijheid
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain
| | - Cécile Chevrier
- Univ Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail), UMR_S 1085, Rennes, France
| | - Hanan El Marroun
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Psychology, Education and Child Studies, Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Mark Nieuwenhuijsen
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain
| | - Dave Saint-Amour
- Département de Psychologie, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Henning Tiemeier
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
| | - Mònica Guxens
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
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Gotlib IH, Buthmann JL, Uy JP. The growing interdisciplinarity of developmental psychopathology: Implications for science and training. Dev Psychopathol 2024:1-11. [PMID: 38516854 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579424000580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
The field of developmental psychopathology has grown exponentially over the past decades, and has become increasingly multifaceted. The initial focus on understanding abnormal child psychology has broadened to the study of the origins of psychopathology, with the goals of preventing and alleviating disorder and promoting healthy development. In this paper, we discuss how technological advances and global events have expanded the questions that researchers in developmental psychopathology can address. We do so by describing a longitudinal study that we have been conducting for the past dozen years. We originally planned to examine the effects of early adversity on trajectories of brain development, endocrine function, and depressive symptoms across puberty; it has since become an interdisciplinary study encompassing diverse domains like inflammation, sleep, biological aging, the environment, and child functioning post-pandemic, that we believe will advance our understanding of neurobehavioral development. This increase in the breadth in our study emerged from an expansion of the field; we encourage researchers to embrace these dynamic changes. In this context, we discuss challenges, opportunities, and institutional changes related to the growing interdisciplinarity of the field with respect to training the next generation of investigators to mitigate the burden of mental illness in youth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian H Gotlib
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | | | - Jessica P Uy
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
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Cardenas-Iniguez C, Schachner JN, Ip KI, Schertz KE, Gonzalez MR, Abad S, Herting MM. Building towards an adolescent neural urbanome: Expanding environmental measures using linked external data (LED) in the ABCD study. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2024; 65:101338. [PMID: 38195369 PMCID: PMC10837718 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2023.101338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/31/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Many recent studies have demonstrated that environmental contexts, both social and physical, have an important impact on child and adolescent neural and behavioral development. The adoption of geospatial methods, such as in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, has facilitated the exploration of many environmental contexts surrounding participants' residential locations without creating additional burdens for research participants (i.e., youth and families) in neuroscience studies. However, as the number of linked databases increases, developing a framework that considers the various domains related to child and adolescent environments external to their home becomes crucial. Such a framework needs to identify structural contextual factors that may yield inequalities in children's built and natural environments; these differences may, in turn, result in downstream negative effects on children from historically minoritized groups. In this paper, we develop such a framework - which we describe as the "adolescent neural urbanome" - and use it to categorize newly geocoded information incorporated into the ABCD Study by the Linked External Data (LED) Environment & Policy Working Group. We also highlight important relationships between the linked measures and describe possible applications of the Adolescent Neural Urbanome. Finally, we provide a number of recommendations and considerations regarding the responsible use and communication of these data, highlighting the potential harm to historically minoritized groups through their misuse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Cardenas-Iniguez
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Jared N Schachner
- Price School of Public Policy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Ka I Ip
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, MN, USA
| | - Kathryn E Schertz
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Marybel R Gonzalez
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Shermaine Abad
- Department of Radiology, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Megan M Herting
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Campbell CE, Cotter DL, Bottenhorn KL, Burnor E, Ahmadi H, Gauderman WJ, Cardenas-Iniguez C, Hackman D, McConnell R, Berhane K, Schwartz J, Chen JC, Herting MM. Air pollution and age-dependent changes in emotional behavior across early adolescence in the U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 240:117390. [PMID: 37866541 PMCID: PMC10842841 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
Recent studies have linked air pollution to increased risk for behavioral problems during development, albeit with inconsistent findings. Additional longitudinal studies are needed that consider how emotional behaviors may be affected when exposure coincides with the transition to adolescence - a vulnerable time for developing mental health difficulties. This study investigates if annual average PM2.5 and NO2 exposure at ages 9-10 years moderates age-related changes in internalizing and externalizing behaviors over a 2-year follow-up period in a large, nationwide U.S. sample of participants from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study®. Air pollution exposure was estimated based on the residential address of each participant using an ensemble-based modeling approach. Caregivers answered questions from the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) at the baseline, 1-year follow-up, and 2-year follow-up visits, for a total of 3 waves of data; from the CBCL we obtained scores on internalizing and externalizing problems plus 5 syndrome scales (anxious/depressed, withdrawn/depressed, rule-breaking behavior, aggressive behavior, and attention problems). Zero-inflated negative binomial models were used to examine both the main effect of age as well as the interaction of age with each pollutant on behavior while adjusting for various socioeconomic and demographic characteristics. Against our hypothesis, there was no evidence that greater air pollution exposure was related to more behavioral problems with age over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire E Campbell
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089-2520, USA
| | - Devyn L Cotter
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089-2520, USA
| | - Katherine L Bottenhorn
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Elisabeth Burnor
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Hedyeh Ahmadi
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - W James Gauderman
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Carlos Cardenas-Iniguez
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Daniel Hackman
- Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA
| | - Rob McConnell
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Kiros Berhane
- Department of Biostatistics, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Joel Schwartz
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Jiu-Chiuan Chen
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Neurology, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90063, USA
| | - Megan M Herting
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90027, USA.
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Polemiti E, Hese S, Schepanski K, Yuan J, Schumann G. How does the macroenvironment influence brain and behaviour - a review of current status and future perspectives. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.10.09.23296785. [PMID: 37873310 PMCID: PMC10593044 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.09.23296785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
The environment influences mental health, both detrimentally and beneficially. Current research has emphasized the individual psychosocial 'microenvironment'. Less attention has been paid to 'macro-environmental' challenges including climate change, pollution, urbanicity and socioeconomic disparity. With the advent of large-scale big-data cohorts and an increasingly dense mapping of macroenvironmental parameters, we are now in a position to characterise the relation between macroenvironment, brain, and behaviour across different geographic and cultural locations globally. This review synthesises findings from recent epidemiological and neuroimaging studies, aiming to provide a comprehensive overview of the existing evidence between the macroenvironment and the structure and functions of the brain, with a particular emphasis on its implications for mental illness. We discuss putative underlying mechanisms and address the most common exposures of the macroenvironment. Finally, we identify critical areas for future research to enhance our understanding of the aetiology of mental illness and to inform effective interventions for healthier environments and mental health promotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elli Polemiti
- Centre of Population Neuroscience and Stratified Medicine (PONS), Department of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience, Charité, Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany
| | - Soeren Hese
- Institute of Geography, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Germany
| | | | - Jiacan Yuan
- Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences & Institute of Atmospheric Sciences & CMA-FDU Joint Laboratory of Marine Meteorology & IRDR-ICOE on Risk Interconnectivity and Governance on Weather/Climate Extremes Impact and Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Gunter Schumann
- Centre of Population Neuroscience and Stratified Medicine (PONS), Department of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience, Charité, Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany
- Centre for Population Neuroscience and Precision Medicine (PONS), Institute for Science and Technology of Brain-inspired Intelligence (ISTBI), Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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Herting M, Cotter D, Ahmadi H, Cardenas-Iniguez C, Bottenhorn K, Gauderman WJ, McConnell R, Berhane K, Schwartz J, Hackman D, Chen JC. Sex-specific effects in how childhood exposures to multiple ambient air pollutants affect white matter microstructure development across early adolescence. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-3213618. [PMID: 37645919 PMCID: PMC10462194 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3213618/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Ambient air pollution is ubiquitous, yet questions remain as to how it might impact the developing brain. Large changes occur in the brain's white matter (WM) microstructure across adolescence, with noticeable differences in WM integrity in male and female youth. Here we report sex-stratified effects of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and ozone (O3) on longitudinal patterns of WM microstructure from 9-13 years-old in 8,182 (49% female) participants using restriction spectrum imaging. After adjusting for key sociodemographic factors, multi-pollutant, sex-stratified models showed that one-year annual exposure to PM2.5 and NO2 was associated with higher, while O3 was associated with lower, intracellular diffusion at age 9. All three pollutants also affected trajectories of WM maturation from 9-13 years-old, with some sex-specific differences in the number and anatomical locations of tracts showing altered trajectories of intracellular diffusion. Concentrations were well-below current U.S. standards, suggesting exposure to these criteria pollutants during adolescence may have long-term consequences on brain development.
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Cotter DL, Campbell CE, Sukumaran K, McConnell R, Berhane K, Schwartz J, Hackman DA, Ahmadi H, Chen JC, Herting MM. Effects of ambient fine particulates, nitrogen dioxide, and ozone on maturation of functional brain networks across early adolescence. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2023; 177:108001. [PMID: 37307604 PMCID: PMC10353545 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.108001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Air pollution is linked to neurodevelopmental delays, but its association with longitudinal changes in brain network development has yet to be investigated. We aimed to characterize the effect of PM2.5, O3, and NO2 exposure at ages 9-10 years on changes in functional connectivity (FC) over a 2-year follow-up period, with a focus on the salience (SN), frontoparietal (FPN), and default-mode (DMN) brain networks as well as the amygdala and hippocampus given their importance in emotional and cognitive functioning. METHODS A sample of children (N = 9,497; with 1-2 scans each for a total of 13,824 scans; 45.6% with two brain scans) from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study® were included. Annual averages of pollutant concentrations were assigned to the child's primary residential address using an ensemble-based exposure modeling approach. Resting-state functional MRI was collected on 3T MRI scanners. First, developmental linear mixed-effect models were performed to characterize typical FC development within our sample. Next, single- and multi-pollutant linear mixed-effect models were constructed to examine the association between exposure and intra-network, inter-network, and subcortical-to-network FC change over time, adjusting for sex, race/ethnicity, income, parental education, handedness, scanner type, and motion. RESULTS Developmental profiles of FC over the 2-year follow-up included intra-network integration within the DMN and FPN as well as inter-network integration between the SN-FPN; along with intra-network segregation in the SN as well as subcortical-to-network segregation more broadly. Higher PM2.5 exposure resulted in greater inter-network and subcortical-to-network FC over time. In contrast, higher O3 concentrations resulted in greater intra-network, but less subcortical-to-network FC over time. Lastly, higher NO2 exposure led to less inter-network and subcortical-to-network FC over the 2-year follow-up period. CONCLUSION Taken together, PM2.5, O3, and NO2 exposure in childhood relate to distinct changes in patterns of network maturation over time. This is the first study to show outdoor ambient air pollution during childhood is linked to longitudinal changes in brain network connectivity development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devyn L Cotter
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Claire E Campbell
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Kirthana Sukumaran
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Rob McConnell
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Kiros Berhane
- Department of Biostatistics, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Joel Schwartz
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Daniel A Hackman
- USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Hedyeh Ahmadi
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jiu-Chiuan Chen
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Neurology, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Megan M Herting
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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Li ZA, Cai Y, Taylor RL, Eisenstein SA, Barch DM, Marek S, Hershey T. Associations Between Socioeconomic Status, Obesity, Cognition, and White Matter Microstructure in Children. JAMA Netw Open 2023; 6:e2320276. [PMID: 37368403 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.20276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Importance Lower neighborhood and household socioeconomic status (SES) are associated with negative health outcomes and altered brain structure in children. It is unclear whether such findings extend to white matter and via what mechanisms. Objective To assess whether and how neighborhood and household SES are independently associated with children's white matter microstructure and examine whether obesity and cognitive performance (reflecting environmental cognitive and sensory stimulation) are plausible mediators. Design, Setting, and Participants This cross-sectional study used baseline data from participants in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study. Data were collected at 21 US sites, and school-based recruitment was used to represent the US population. Children aged 9 to 11 years and their parents or caregivers completed assessments between October 1, 2016, and October 31, 2018. After exclusions, 8842 of 11 875 children in the ABCD study were included in the analyses. Data analysis was conducted from July 11 to December 19, 2022. Exposures Neighborhood disadvantage was derived from area deprivation indices at participants' primary residence. Household SES factors were total income and highest parental educational attainment. Main Outcomes and Measures A restriction spectrum imaging (RSI) model was used to quantify restricted normalized directional (RND; reflecting oriented myelin organization) and restricted normalized isotropic (RNI; reflecting glial and neuronal cell bodies) diffusion in 31 major white matter tracts. The RSI measurements were scanner harmonized. Obesity was assessed through body mass index (BMI; calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared), age- and sex-adjusted BMI z scores, and waist circumference, and cognition was assessed through the National Institutes of Health Toolbox Cognition Battery. Analyses were adjusted for age, sex, pubertal development stage, intracranial volume, mean head motion, and twin or siblingship. Results Among 8842 children, 4543 (51.4%) were boys, and the mean (SD) age was 9.9 (0.7) years. Linear mixed-effects models revealed that greater neighborhood disadvantage was associated with lower RSI-RND in the left superior longitudinal fasciculus (β = -0.055; 95% CI, -0.081 to -0.028) and forceps major (β = -0.040; 95% CI, -0.067 to -0.013). Lower parental educational attainment was associated with lower RSI-RND in the bilateral superior longitudinal fasciculus (eg, right hemisphere: β = 0.053; 95% CI, 0.025-0.080) and bilateral corticospinal or pyramidal tract (eg, right hemisphere: β = 0.042; 95% CI, 0.015-0.069). Structural equation models revealed that lower cognitive performance (eg, lower total cognition score and higher neighborhood disadvantage: β = -0.012; 95% CI, -0.016 to -0.009) and greater obesity (eg, higher BMI and higher neighborhood disadvantage: β = -0.004; 95% CI, -0.006 to -0.001) partially accounted for the associations between SES and RSI-RND. Lower household income was associated with higher RSI-RNI in most tracts (eg, right inferior longitudinal fasciculus: β = -0.042 [95% CI, -0.073 to -0.012]; right anterior thalamic radiations: β = -0.045 [95% CI, -0.075 to -0.014]), and greater neighborhood disadvantage had similar associations in primarily frontolimbic tracts (eg, right fornix: β = 0.046 [95% CI, 0.019-0.074]; right anterior thalamic radiations: β = 0.045 [95% CI, 0.018-0.072]). Lower parental educational attainment was associated with higher RSI-RNI in the forceps major (β = -0.048; 95% CI, -0.077 to -0.020). Greater obesity partially accounted for these SES associations with RSI-RNI (eg, higher BMI and higher neighborhood disadvantage: β = 0.015; 95% CI, 0.011-0.020). Findings were robust in sensitivity analyses and were corroborated using diffusion tensor imaging. Conclusions and Relevance In this cross-sectional study, both neighborhood and household contexts were associated with white matter development in children, and findings suggested that obesity and cognitive performance were possible mediators in these associations. Future research on children's brain health may benefit from considering these factors from multiple socioeconomic perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaolong Adrian Li
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St Louis School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Yuqi Cai
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri
- Now with Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Rita L Taylor
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Sarah A Eisenstein
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St Louis School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
- Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University in St Louis School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Deanna M Barch
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St Louis School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri
- Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University in St Louis School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Scott Marek
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St Louis School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
- Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University in St Louis School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Tamara Hershey
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St Louis School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri
- Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University in St Louis School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
- Department of Neurology, Washington University in St Louis School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
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Campbell CE, Cotter DL, Bottenhorn KL, Burnor E, Ahmadi H, Gauderman WJ, Cardenas-Iniguez C, Hackman D, McConnell R, Berhane K, Schwartz J, Chen JC, Herting MM. Air pollution and emotional behavior in adolescents across the U.S. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.04.19.23288834. [PMID: 37162908 PMCID: PMC10168412 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.19.23288834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Recent studies have linked air pollution to increased risk for behavioral problems during development, albeit with inconsistent findings. Additional longitudinal studies are needed that consider how emotional behaviors may be affected when exposure coincides with the transition to adolescence - a vulnerable time for developing mental health difficulties. This study examines how annual average PM2.5 and NO2 exposure at ages 9-10 years relates to internalizing and externalizing behaviors over a 2-year follow-up period in a large, nationwide U.S. sample of participants from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study®. Air pollution exposure was estimated based on the residential address of each participant using an ensemble-based modeling approach. Caregivers answered questions from the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) at baseline and annually for two follow-up sessions for a total of 3 waves of data; from the CBCL we obtained scores on internalizing and externalizing problems plus 5 syndrome scales (anxious/depressed, withdrawn/depressed, rule-breaking behavior, aggressive behavior, and attention problems). Zero-inflated negative binomial models were used to examine both the main effect of age as well as the interaction of age with each pollutant on behavior while adjusting for various socioeconomic and demographic characteristics. Overall, the pollution effects moderated the main effects of age with higher levels of PM2.5 and NO2 leading to an even greater likelihood of having no behavioral problems (i.e., score of zero) with age over time, as well as fewer problems when problems are present as the child ages. Albeit this was on the order equal to or less than a 1-point change. Thus, one year of annual exposure at 9-10 years is linked with very small change in emotional behaviors in early adolescence, which may be of little clinical relevance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire E Campbell
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA 90089-2520
| | - Devyn L Cotter
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA 90089-2520
| | - Katherine L Bottenhorn
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Elisabeth Burnor
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Hedyeh Ahmadi
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - W James Gauderman
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Carlos Cardenas-Iniguez
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Daniel Hackman
- Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089
| | - Rob McConnell
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Kiros Berhane
- Department of Biostatistics, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Joel Schwartz
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Jiu-Chiuan Chen
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90063, USA
| | - Megan M Herting
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90027, USA
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15
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Sukumaran K, Cardenas-Iniguez C, Burnor E, Bottenhorn KL, Hackman DA, McConnell R, Berhane K, Schwartz J, Chen JC, Herting MM. Ambient fine particulate exposure and subcortical gray matter microarchitecture in 9- and 10-year-old children across the United States. iScience 2023; 26:106087. [PMID: 36915692 PMCID: PMC10006642 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuroimaging studies showing the adverse effects of air pollution on neurodevelopment have largely focused on smaller samples from limited geographical locations and have implemented univariant approaches to assess exposure and brain macrostructure. Herein, we implement restriction spectrum imaging and a multivariate approach to examine how one year of annual exposure to daily fine particulate matter (PM2.5), daily nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and 8-h maximum ozone (O3) at ages 9-10 years relates to subcortical gray matter microarchitecture in a geographically diverse subsample of children from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study℠. Adjusting for confounders, we identified a latent variable representing 66% of the variance between one year of air pollution and subcortical gray matter microarchitecture. PM2.5 was related to greater isotropic intracellular diffusion in the thalamus, brainstem, and accumbens, which related to cognition and internalizing symptoms. These findings may be indicative of previously identified air pollution-related risk for neuroinflammation and early neurodegenerative pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirthana Sukumaran
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90063, USA
| | - Carlos Cardenas-Iniguez
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90063, USA
| | - Elisabeth Burnor
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90063, USA
| | - Katherine L. Bottenhorn
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90063, USA
- Department of Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA
| | - Daniel A. Hackman
- Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Rob McConnell
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90063, USA
| | - Kiros Berhane
- Department of Biostatistics, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Joel Schwartz
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Jiu-Chiuan Chen
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90063, USA
- Department of Neurology, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90063, USA
| | - Megan M. Herting
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90063, USA
- Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90027, USA
- Corresponding author
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16
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Li ZA, Cai Y, Taylor RL, Eisenstein SA, Barch DM, Marek S, Hershey T. Associations between socioeconomic status and white matter microstructure in children: indirect effects via obesity and cognition. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.02.09.23285150. [PMID: 36798149 PMCID: PMC9934783 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.09.23285150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/12/2023]
Abstract
Importance Both neighborhood and household socioeconomic disadvantage relate to negative health outcomes and altered brain structure in children. It is unclear whether such findings extend to white matter development, and via what mechanisms socioeconomic status (SES) influences the brain. Objective To test independent associations between neighborhood and household SES indicators and white matter microstructure in children, and examine whether body mass index and cognitive function (a proxy of environmental cognitive/sensory stimulation) may plausibly mediate these associations. Design This cross-sectional study used baseline data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, an ongoing 10-year cohort study tracking child health. Setting School-based recruitment at 21 U.S. sites. Participants Children aged 9 to 11 years and their parents/caregivers completed baseline assessments between October 1 st , 2016 and October 31 st , 2018. Data analysis was conducted from July to December 2022. Exposures Neighborhood disadvantage was derived from area deprivation indices at primary residence. Household SES indicators were total income and the highest parental education attainment. Main Outcomes and Measures Thirty-one major white matter tracts were segmented from diffusion-weighted images. The Restriction Spectrum Imaging (RSI) model was implemented to measure restricted normalized directional (RND; reflecting oriented myelin organization) and isotropic (RNI; reflecting glial/neuronal cell bodies) diffusion in each tract. Obesity-related measures were body mass index (BMI), BMI z -scores, and waist circumference, and cognitive performance was assessed using the NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery. Linear mixed-effects models tested the associations between SES indicators and scanner-harmonized RSI metrics. Structural equation models examined indirect effects of obesity and cognitive performance in the significant associations between SES and white mater microstructure summary principal components. Analyses were adjusted for age, sex, pubertal development stage, intracranial volume, and head motion. Results The analytical sample included 8842 children (4299 [48.6%] girls; mean age [SD], 9.9 [0.7] years). Greater neighborhood disadvantage and lower parental education were independently associated with lower RSI-RND in forceps major and corticospinal/pyramidal tracts, and had overlapping associations in the superior longitudinal fasciculus. Lower cognition scores and greater obesity-related measures partially accounted for these SES associations with RSI-RND. Lower household income was related to higher RSI-RNI in almost every tract, and greater neighborhood disadvantage had similar effects in primarily frontolimbic tracts. Lower parental education was uniquely linked to higher RSI-RNI in forceps major. Greater obesity-related measures partially accounted for these SES associations with RSI-RNI. Findings were robust in sensitivity analyses and mostly corroborated using traditional diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Conclusions and Relevance These cross-sectional results demonstrate that both neighborhood and household contexts are relevant to white matter development in children, and suggest cognitive performance and obesity as possible pathways of influence. Interventions targeting obesity reduction and improving cognition from multiple socioeconomic angles may ameliorate brain health in low-SES children. Key Points Question: Are neighborhood and household socioeconomic levels associated with children’s brain white matter microstructure, and if so, do obesity and cognitive performance (reflecting environmental stimulation) mediate the associations?Findings: In a cohort of 8842 children, higher neighborhood disadvantage, lower household income, and lower parental education had independent and overlapping associations with lower restricted directional diffusion and greater restricted isotropic diffusion in white matter. Greater body mass index and poorer cognitive performance partially mediated these associations.Meaning: Both neighborhood and household poverty may contribute to altered white matter development in children. These effects may be partially explained by obesity incidence and poorer cognitive performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaolong Adrian Li
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA,Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Yuqi Cai
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Rita L. Taylor
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Sarah A. Eisenstein
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA,Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Deanna M. Barch
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA,Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA,Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Scott Marek
- Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA,Co-corresponding authors: Scott Marek, PhD, Assistant Professor, Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, MSC 8134-0070-02, Phone: (314)-454-6120, ; Tamara Hershey, PhD, James S. McDonnell Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry and Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, MSC 8134-0070-02, Phone: (314)-362-5593,
| | - Tamara Hershey
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA,Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA,Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA,Department of Neurology, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA,Co-corresponding authors: Scott Marek, PhD, Assistant Professor, Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, MSC 8134-0070-02, Phone: (314)-454-6120, ; Tamara Hershey, PhD, James S. McDonnell Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry and Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, MSC 8134-0070-02, Phone: (314)-362-5593,
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Wylie AC, Short SJ. Environmental Toxicants and the Developing Brain. Biol Psychiatry 2023; 93:921-933. [PMID: 36906498 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2023.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Revised: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Early life represents the most rapid and foundational period of brain development and a time of vulnerability to environmental insults. Evidence indicates that greater exposure to ubiquitous toxicants like fine particulate matter (PM2.5), manganese, and many phthalates is associated with altered developmental, physical health, and mental health trajectories across the lifespan. Whereas animal models offer evidence of their mechanistic effects on neurological development, there is little research that evaluates how these environmental toxicants are associated with human neurodevelopment using neuroimaging measures in infant and pediatric populations. This review provides an overview of 3 environmental toxicants of interest in neurodevelopment that are prevalent worldwide in the air, soil, food, water, and/or products of everyday life: fine particulate matter (PM2.5), manganese, and phthalates. We summarize mechanistic evidence from animal models for their roles in neurodevelopment, highlight prior research that has examined these toxicants with pediatric developmental and psychiatric outcomes, and provide a narrative review of the limited number of studies that have examined these toxicants using neuroimaging with pediatric populations. We conclude with a discussion of suggested directions that will move this field forward, including the incorporation of environmental toxicant assessment in large, longitudinal, multimodal neuroimaging studies; the use of multidimensional data analysis strategies; and the importance of studying the combined effects of environmental and psychosocial stressors and buffers on neurodevelopment. Collectively, these strategies will improve ecological validity and our understanding of how environmental toxicants affect long-term sequelae via alterations to brain structure and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda C Wylie
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Sarah J Short
- Department of Educational Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin; Center for Health Minds, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin.
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Fowler CH, Bagdasarov A, Camacho NL, Reuben A, Gaffrey MS. Toxicant exposure and the developing brain: A systematic review of the structural and functional MRI literature. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 144:105006. [PMID: 36535373 PMCID: PMC9922521 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.105006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Revised: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Youth worldwide are regularly exposed to pollutants and chemicals (i.e., toxicants) that may interfere with healthy brain development, and a surge in MRI research has begun to characterize the neurobiological consequences of these exposures. Here, a systematic review following PRISMA guidelines was conducted on developmental MRI studies of toxicants with known or suspected neurobiological impact. Associations were reviewed for 9 toxicant classes, including metals, air pollution, and flame retardants. Of 1264 identified studies, 46 met inclusion criteria. Qualitative synthesis revealed that most studies: (1) investigated air pollutants or metals, (2) assessed exposures prenatally, (3) assessed the brain in late middle childhood, (4) took place in North America or Western Europe, (5) drew samples from existing cohort studies, and (6) have been published since 2017. Given substantial heterogeneity in MRI measures, toxicant measures, and age groups assessed, more research is needed on all toxicants reviewed here. Future studies should also include larger samples, employ personal exposure monitoring, study independent samples in diverse world regions, and assess toxicant mixtures.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Aaron Reuben
- Duke University, 417 Chapel Drive, Durham, NC 27708, USA
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Zundel CG, Ryan P, Brokamp C, Heeter A, Huang Y, Strawn JR, Marusak HA. Air pollution, depressive and anxiety disorders, and brain effects: A systematic review. Neurotoxicology 2022; 93:272-300. [PMID: 36280190 PMCID: PMC10015654 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2022.10.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Accumulating data suggest that air pollution increases the risk of internalizing psychopathology, including anxiety and depressive disorders. Moreover, the link between air pollution and poor mental health may relate to neurostructural and neurofunctional changes. We systematically reviewed the MEDLINE database in September 2021 for original articles reporting effects of air pollution on 1) internalizing symptoms and behaviors (anxiety or depression) and 2) frontolimbic brain regions (i.e., hippocampus, amygdala, prefrontal cortex). One hundred and eleven articles on mental health (76% human, 24% animals) and 92 on brain structure and function (11% human, 86% animals) were identified. For literature search 1, the most common pollutants examined were PM2.5 (64.9%), NO2 (37.8%), and PM10 (33.3%). For literature search 2, the most common pollutants examined were PM2.5 (32.6%), O3 (26.1%) and Diesel Exhaust Particles (DEP) (26.1%). The majority of studies (73%) reported higher internalizing symptoms and behaviors with higher air pollution exposure. Air pollution was consistently associated (95% of articles reported significant findings) with neurostructural and neurofunctional effects (e.g., increased inflammation and oxidative stress, changes to neurotransmitters and neuromodulators and their metabolites) within multiple brain regions (24% of articles), or within the hippocampus (66%), PFC (7%), and amygdala (1%). For both literature searches, the most studied exposure time frames were adulthood (48% and 59% for literature searches 1 and 2, respectively) and the prenatal period (26% and 27% for literature searches 1 and 2, respectively). Forty-three percent and 29% of studies assessed more than one exposure window in literature search 1 and 2, respectively. The extant literature suggests that air pollution is associated with increased depressive and anxiety symptoms and behaviors, and alterations in brain regions implicated in risk of psychopathology. However, there are several gaps in the literature, including: limited studies examining the neural consequences of air pollution in humans. Further, a comprehensive developmental approach is needed to examine windows of susceptibility to exposure and track the emergence of psychopathology following air pollution exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara G Zundel
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA.
| | - Patrick Ryan
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
| | - Cole Brokamp
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
| | - Autumm Heeter
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA.
| | - Yaoxian Huang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Wayne State University, 5050 Anthony Wayne Drive, Detroit, MI, USA.
| | - Jeffrey R Strawn
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Anxiety Disorders Research Program, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
| | - Hilary A Marusak
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA; Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute for Child and Family Development, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA; Translational Neuroscience Program, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA.
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20
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Binter AC, Kusters MSW, van den Dries MA, Alonso L, Lubczyńska MJ, Hoek G, White T, Iñiguez C, Tiemeier H, Guxens M. Air pollution, white matter microstructure, and brain volumes: Periods of susceptibility from pregnancy to preadolescence. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 313:120109. [PMID: 36155148 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2022] [Revised: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Air pollution exposure during early-life is associated with altered brain development, but the precise periods of susceptibility are unknown. We aimed to investigate whether there are periods of susceptibility of air pollution between conception and preadolescence in relation to white matter microstructure and brain volumes at 9-12 years old. We used data of 3515 children from the Generation R Study, a population-based birth cohort from Rotterdam, the Netherlands (2002-2006). We estimated daily levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM2.5absorbance) at participants' homes during pregnancy and childhood using land-use regression models. Diffusion tensor and structural brain images were obtained when children were 9-12 years of age, and we calculated fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity, and several brain structure volumes. We performed distributed lag non-linear modeling adjusting for socioeconomic and lifestyle characteristics. We observed specific periods of susceptibility to all air pollutants from conception to age 5 years in association with lower fractional anisotropy and higher mean diffusivity that survived correction for multiple testing (e.g., -0.85 fractional anisotropy (95%CI -1.43; -0.27) per 5 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 between conception and 4 years of age). We also observed certain periods of susceptibility to some air pollutants in relation to global brain and some subcortical brain volumes, but only the association between PM2.5 and putamen survived correction for multiple testing (172 mm3 (95%CI 57; 286) per 5 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 between 4 months and 1.8 year of age). This study suggested that conception, pregnancy, infancy, toddlerhood, and early childhood seem to be susceptible periods to air pollution exposure for the development of white matter microstructure and the putamen volume. Longitudinal studies with repeated brain outcome measurements are needed for understanding the trajectories and the long-term effects of exposure to air pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne-Claire Binter
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain
| | - Michelle S W Kusters
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC, Erasmus University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Michiel A van den Dries
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC, Erasmus University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Lucia Alonso
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain
| | - Małgorzata J Lubczyńska
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain
| | - Gerard Hoek
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, the Netherlands
| | - Tonya White
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC, Erasmus University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Erasmus University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Carmen Iñiguez
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain; Department of Statistics and Operational Research, Universitat de València, Spain; Epidemiology and Environmental Health Joint Research Unit, FISABIO-Universitat Jaume I-Universitat de València, València, Spain
| | - Henning Tiemeier
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC, Erasmus University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Social and Behavioral Science, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
| | - Mònica Guxens
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC, Erasmus University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
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21
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Tapolyai M, Krivanek L, Fülöp T. Indoor air quality and the risk of hypertension. J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich) 2022; 24:1012-1014. [PMID: 35904179 PMCID: PMC9380166 DOI: 10.1111/jch.14535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mihály Tapolyai
- Department of Nephrology, Szent Margit Hospital, Budapest, Hungary.,Medicine Services, Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
| | - László Krivanek
- Szent Kristóf Szakrendelő Közhasznú Nonprofit Kft., Budapest, Hungary
| | - Tibor Fülöp
- Medicine Services, Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, Charleston, South Carolina, USA.,Department of Medicine - Division of Nephrology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederica Perera
- From the Department of Environmental Health Sciences and Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health, Columbia University, New York (F.P.); and the Departments of Medicine, Pediatrics, Otolaryngology, and Epidemiology and Population Health, Stanford University, Stanford, CA (K.N.)
| | - Kari Nadeau
- From the Department of Environmental Health Sciences and Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health, Columbia University, New York (F.P.); and the Departments of Medicine, Pediatrics, Otolaryngology, and Epidemiology and Population Health, Stanford University, Stanford, CA (K.N.)
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Pérez-Crespo L, Kusters MSW, López-Vicente M, Lubczyńska MJ, Foraster M, White T, Hoek G, Tiemeier H, Muetzel RL, Guxens M. Exposure to traffic-related air pollution and noise during pregnancy and childhood, and functional brain connectivity in preadolescents. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2022; 164:107275. [PMID: 35580436 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Revised: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The amount of people affected by traffic-related air pollution and noise is continuously increasing, but limited research has been conducted on the association between these environmental exposures and functional brain connectivity in children. OBJECTIVE This exploratory study aimed to analyze the associations between the exposure to traffic-related air pollution and noise during pregnancy and childhood, and functional brain connectivity amongst a wide-swath of brain areas in preadolescents from 9 to 12 years of age. METHODS We used data of 2,197 children from the Generation R Study. Land use regression models were applied to estimate nitrogen oxides and particulate matter levels at participant's homes for several time periods: pregnancy, birth to 3 years, 3 to 6 years, and 6 years of age to the age at magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) assessment. Existing noise maps were used to estimate road traffic noise exposure at participant's homes for the same time periods. Resting-state functional MRI was obtained at 9-12 years of age. Pair-wise correlation coefficients of the blood-oxygen-level-dependent signals between 380 brain areas were calculated. Linear regressions were run and corrected for multiple testing. RESULTS Preadolescents exposed to higher levels of NO2, NOx, and PM2.5 absorbance, from birth to 3 years, and from 3 to 6 years of age showed higher correlation coefficients among several brain regions (e.g. from 0.16 to 0.19 higher correlation coefficient related to PM2.5 absorbance exposure, depending on the brain connection). Overall, most identified associations were between brain regions of the task positive and task negative networks, and were mainly inter-network (20 of 26). Slightly more than half of the connections were intra-hemispheric (14 of 26), predominantly in the right hemisphere. Road traffic noise was not associated with functional brain connectivity. CONCLUSIONS This exploratory study found that exposure to traffic-related air pollution during the first years of life was related to higher functional brain connectivity predominantly in brain areas located in the task positive and task negative networks, in preadolescents from 9 to 12 years of age. These results could be an indicator of differential functional connectivity in children exposed to higher levels of air pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Pérez-Crespo
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain; Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Michelle S W Kusters
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain; Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Mónica López-Vicente
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Małgorzata J Lubczyńska
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain; Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Maria Foraster
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain; Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain; PHAGEX Research Group, Blanquerna School of Health Science, Universitat Ramon Lull (URL), Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Tonya White
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Erasmus MC Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Gerard Hoek
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Henning Tiemeier
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Social and Behavioral Science, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Boston, USA.
| | - Ryan L Muetzel
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Mònica Guxens
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain; Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
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