1
|
Rokoff LB, Cardenas A, Lin PID, Rifas-Shiman SL, Wright RO, Bosquet Enlow M, Coull BA, Oken E, Korrick SA. Early pregnancy essential and non-essential metal mixtures and maternal antepartum and postpartum depressive symptoms. Neurotoxicology 2023; 94:206-216. [PMID: 36526156 PMCID: PMC9839522 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2022.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Revised: 11/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mood disorders are common during and after pregnancy, and environmental metals may contribute to increased risk. Antepartum metal exposures have not been well characterized in relation to maternal depression. We evaluated the extent to which early pregnancy erythrocyte concentrations of essential and non-essential metals were prospectively associated with antepartum and postpartum depressive symptoms. METHODS Participants were 1226 women in Project Viva, a longitudinal cohort recruited during pregnancy (1999-2002). We measured concentrations of 11 metals in maternal first trimester erythrocytes (arsenic, barium, cadmium, cesium, copper, mercury, magnesium, manganese, lead, selenium, zinc). Using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), we assessed elevated depressive symptoms (≥13; 0-30 scale) at mid-pregnancy and at 6 and 12 months postpartum. We applied latent class mixed modeling to identify symptom trajectories. Adjusting for maternal sociodemographics and co-exposures, we examined associations between the metal mixture and depressive symptoms using logistic (for EPDS≥13)/multinomial (for symptom trajectories) regression and quantile g-computation. RESULTS In this cohort of moderately high socioeconomic status participants (e.g., 72 % college graduate), low-level metal concentrations were weakly to moderately correlated (Spearman: -0.24 to 0.59); the prevalence of depressive symptoms ranged from 9 % (mid-pregnancy) to 6 % (12 months postpartum); and three trajectories (stable low; elevated mid-pregnancy, then decreasing; moderate mid-pregnancy, then increasing) best fit the EPDS data. The early pregnancy erythrocyte metal mixture was not associated with maternal depressive symptoms in logistic, multinomial, or mixture models. For individual metals, most confidence intervals (CI) included the null. There was weak evidence that arsenic, lead, and selenium were moderately associated with elevated odds of depressive symptoms and/or trajectories. However, the odds ratios (95 % CI) per doubling of these three metals were imprecise [e.g., arsenic: 1.13 (0.94, 1.40) for EPDS≥13 at six months postpartum; lead: 1.19 (0.80, 1.77) for EPDS≥13 at mid-pregnancy; selenium: 2.35 (0.84, 6.57) for elevated mid-pregnancy, then decreasing versus stable low trajectory]. DISCUSSION We did not observe strong, consistent evidence of associations between early pregnancy erythrocyte metal concentrations and subsequent maternal antepartum and postpartum depressive symptoms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lisa B Rokoff
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Population Health Sciences Program, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | - Andres Cardenas
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Pi-I D Lin
- Division of Chronic Disease Research Across the Lifecourse, Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sheryl L Rifas-Shiman
- Division of Chronic Disease Research Across the Lifecourse, Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Robert O Wright
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Institute for Exposomic Research, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Michelle Bosquet Enlow
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Brent A Coull
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Emily Oken
- Division of Chronic Disease Research Across the Lifecourse, Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Susan A Korrick
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Jacobson MH, Ghassabian A, Gore AC, Trasande L. Exposure to environmental chemicals and perinatal psychopathology. Biochem Pharmacol 2022; 195:114835. [PMID: 34774531 PMCID: PMC8712457 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2021.114835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Revised: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Women are nearly twice as likely to develop mood disorders compared with men, and incidence is greatest during reproductive transitions, including pregnancy and postpartum. Because these periods are characterized by dramatic hormonal and physiologic changes, there is heightened susceptibility to external factors, such as exposure to environmental toxicants, which may play a role in maternal psychopathology. The purpose of this scoping review was to provide an overview of studies conducted in humans and animal models on the effects of nonoccupational exposure to environmental chemicals on maternal psychopathology during the perinatal period. The largest number of studies examined exposure to environmental tobacco smoke and antenatal depression and showed consistently positive findings, although more prospective studies using biomarkers for exposure assessment are needed. The few studies examining persistent organic pollutants such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers and perinatal depression were consistent in showing associations with increased depressive symptoms. Results were mixed for exposure to heavy metals and non-persistent chemicals, but a strong literature in animal models supported an association between bisphenols and phthalates and reduced maternal behavior and care of pups after parturition. Biological mechanisms may include endocrine disruption, neurotransmitter system impairment, alterations in gene expression, and immune activation and inflammation. Additional longitudinal studies that include biospecimen collection are essential to furthering the understanding of how environmental toxicants during pregnancy may affect perinatal psychopathology and the underlying mechanisms of action. Future work should also leverage the parallels between animal and human maternal behavior, thereby highlighting the opportunity for multidisciplinary work in this avenue.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Melanie H Jacobson
- Department of Pediatrics, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Akhgar Ghassabian
- Department of Pediatrics, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Andrea C Gore
- Institute for Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Division of Pharmacology & Toxicology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Leonardo Trasande
- Department of Pediatrics, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; New York University Wagner School of Public Service, New York, NY, USA; New York University College of Global Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Rahman HH, Yusuf KK, Niemann D, Dipon SR. Urinary speciated arsenic and depression among US adults. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2020; 27:23048-23053. [PMID: 32333349 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-08858-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Accepted: 04/13/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Arsenic is a naturally occurring chemical in the environment. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) declared arsenic a class 1 human carcinogen. The inorganic form of arsenic is considered toxic to the human population; arsenic is a neurotoxin and can cause memory dysfunction. Very few studies have investigated the association between exposure to arsenic and depression in humans. The purpose of this study was to assess the association between urinary speciated arsenic and depression among adults in the USA using the 2015-2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) III dataset. Depression was measured using the nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). We computed a total depression score from the PHQ-9 and categorized individuals with a score ≥ 10 as depressed. The exposure included six different speciated arsenic concentrations dichotomized as at or above the limit of detection and below the limit of detection. We conducted a crude and multivariate logistic regression analysis using complex survey procedures to assess the association between speciated arsenic concentrations and depression. The sample included 1619 adults, of whom approximately half were females (51.69%) and married (53.29%). Seven percent of the sample had depression. Urinary arsenous acid was significantly associated with depression. In the adjusted model, arsenous acid was associated with depression with an odds ratio of 1.76 (95% CI 1.05-2.96, p = 0.035). No other forms of arsenic were significantly associated with depression. In this study, urinary arsenous acid was significantly associated with depression. Future research in humans is required to confirm or refute this finding.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Humairat H Rahman
- Department of Public Health Sciences, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, USA.
| | - Korede K Yusuf
- College of Nursing and Public Health, Adelphi University, Garden City, NY, USA
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
4
|
Sinha D, Prasad P. Health effects inflicted by chronic low-level arsenic contamination in groundwater: A global public health challenge. J Appl Toxicol 2019; 40:87-131. [PMID: 31273810 DOI: 10.1002/jat.3823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2019] [Accepted: 04/28/2019] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Groundwater arsenic (As) contamination is a global public health concern. The high level of As exposure (100-1000 μg/L or even higher) through groundwater has been frequently associated with serious public health hazards, e.g., skin disorders, cardiovascular diseases, respiratory problems, complications of gastrointestinal tract, liver and splenic ailments, kidney and bladder disorders, reproductive failure, neurotoxicity and cancer. However, reviews on low-level As exposure and the imperative health effects are far less documented. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) has set the permissible standard of As in drinking water at 10 μg/L. Considering the WHO and USEPA guidelines, most of the developed countries have established standards at or below this guideline. Worldwide many countries including India have millions of aquifers with low-level As contamination (≤50 μg/L). The exposed population of these areas might not show any As-related skin lesions (hallmark of As toxicity particularly in a population consuming As contaminated groundwater >300 μg/L) but might be subclinically affected. This review has attempted to encompass the wide range of health effects associated with chronic low-level As exposure ≤50 μg/L and the probable mechanisms that might provide a better insight regarding the underlying cause of these clinical manifestations. Therefore, there is an urgent need to create mass awareness about the health effects of chronic low-level As exposure and planning of proper mitigation strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dona Sinha
- Receptor Biology and Tumor Metastasis, Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute, Kolkata, India
| | - Priyanka Prasad
- Receptor Biology and Tumor Metastasis, Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute, Kolkata, India
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Zaw YH, Taneepanichskul N. Blood heavy metals and brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the first trimester of pregnancy among migrant workers. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0218409. [PMID: 31199848 PMCID: PMC6570031 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0218409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2019] [Accepted: 06/01/2019] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lead, mercury, cadmium and arsenic are the priority heavy metals of major public health concern in industrialized countries. Exposure to them can cause cognitive impairment and depressive disorders through an effect on Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) which is an important biomarker of pregnancy. Despite a number of prior studies on heavy metals pollution, there is few of studies on the effect of heavy metals on BDNF during early pregnancy. This study aims to examine the association between maternal blood heavy metals concentrations and BDNF during the first trimester pregnancy among Myanmar migrants in Thailand. METHODOLOGY This cross sectional study, a part of ongoing birth cohort was conducted at the antenatal care clinic from June to October 2018. A total of 108 with Myanmar migrant pregnancy with a single viable fetus of 0 to 14 gestation weeks who stayed within the industrial plant at least 3 months before were recruited. Socio-demographic characteristics and health behaviors were accessed using a self-report questionnaire. Maternal blood heavy metals (lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As)) were measured using an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer and plasma BDNF was measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Multivariate binary logistic regression were modeled to access the association. RESULTS Median (interquartile rank: IQR) concentrations were: BDNF (6.49 (1.79) μg/ml), Pb (2.77 (1.46) μg/dL), Hg (0.62 (0.54) μg/dL), Cd (0.93(0.86) μg/L) and As (0.40 (0.11) μg/dL) respectively. We categorized BDNF concentrations into high (> median) (n = 54) and low (≤ median) (n = 54) groups. After adjusting for potential confounders, high blood total arsenic concentration had 2.6-fold increased odds (aOR = 2.603, 95% CI: 1.178, 5.751) of low plasma BDNF level as compared with low blood total arsenic group. However, there was no significant association between BDNF and Pb, Hg and Cd. CONCLUSIONS The present findings demonstrate higher blood total arsenic level were more likely to have lower BDNF in early pregnancy. Our study suggested that heavy metal could be worsen BDNF level which plays its important role on biological effect of maternal depressive disorder and newborn neurodevelopment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ye Htet Zaw
- College of Public Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | | |
Collapse
|
6
|
Avecilla V, Avecilla A. Inhibitor of DNA-Binding/Differentiation Proteins and Environmental Toxicants: Genomic Impact on the Onset of Depressive Dysfunction. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 7:medsci7010007. [PMID: 30634536 PMCID: PMC6358799 DOI: 10.3390/medsci7010007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2018] [Revised: 12/18/2018] [Accepted: 01/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The ongoing growth of the international occurrence of depression and its ability to co-occur with other serious medical disorders, such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and Parkinson’s disease, is a current public health problem. Inhibitor of DNA-Binding/Differentiation (ID) proteins are part of a group of transcriptional factors that have shown involvement in neurocognitive disorders and, therefore, may have influence on depressive disorders. Previously, it has been established that exposure to environmental estrogenic endocrine disruptors (EEDs), such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and bisphenol A (BPA), have played an important role in the modulation of depressive disorders. Hence, based on many studies, we consider the impact of these environmental pollutants on the group of ID proteins and how they impact depressive outcomes. Improved knowledge of how ID proteins interact with depressive disorders, through EED exposure, will contribute essential evidence that can further benefit our public health community with innovative knowledge to prevent these types of mental illnesses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Avecilla
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA.
- Celgene Corporation, Summit, NJ 07901, USA.
| | - Andrea Avecilla
- Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, North Dartmouth, MA 02747, USA.
| |
Collapse
|