Prenatal exposure to air pollution and childhood internalizing problems: roles of shyness and anterior cingulate cortex activity

Outdoor Air Pollution Relates to Amygdala Subregion Volume and Apportionment in Early Adolescents

Background

Outdoor air pollution is associated with an increased risk for psychopathology. Although the neural mechanisms remain unclear, air pollutants may impact mental health by altering limbic brain regions, such as the amygdala. Here, we examine the association between ambient air pollution exposure and amygdala subregion volumes in 9-10-year-olds.

Methods

Cross-sectional Adolescent Brain Cognitive DevelopmentSM (ABCD) Study® data from 4,473 participants (55.4% male) were leveraged. Air pollution was estimated for each participant's primary residential address. Using the probabilistic CIT168 atlas, we quantified total amygdala and 9 distinct subregion volumes from T1- and T2-weighted images. First, we examined how criteria pollutants (i.e., fine particulate matter [PM2.5], nitrogen dioxide, ground-level ozone) and 15 PM2.5 components related with total amygdala volumes using linear mixed-effect (LME) regression. Next, partial least squares correlation (PLSC) analyses were implemented to identify relationships between co-exposure to criteria pollutants as well as PM2.5 components and amygdala subregion volumes. We also conducted complementary analyses to assess subregion apportionment using amygdala relative volume fractions (RVFs).

Results

No significant associations were detected between pollutants and total amygdala volumes. Using PLSC, one latent dimension (LD) (52% variance explained) captured a positive association between calcium and several basolateral subregions. LDs were also identified for amygdala RVFs (ranging from 30% to 82% variance explained), with PM2.5 and component co-exposure associated with increases in lateral, but decreases in medial and central, RVFs.

Conclusions

Fine particulate and its components are linked with distinct amygdala differences, potentially playing a role in risk for adolescent mental health problems.

Exposure to Endocrine Disruptors in Early life and Neuroimaging Findings in Childhood and Adolescence: a Scoping Review

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Evidence suggests neurotoxicity of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) during sensitive periods of development. We present an overview of pediatric population neuroimaging studies that examined brain influences of EDC exposure during prenatal period and childhood. RECENT FINDINGS: We found 46 studies that used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to examine brain influences of EDCs. These studies showed associations of prenatal exposure to phthalates, organophosphate pesticides (OPs), polyaromatic hydrocarbons and persistent organic pollutants with global and regional brain structural alterations. Few studies suggested alteration in functional MRI associated with prenatal OP exposure. However, studies on other groups of EDCs, such as bisphenols, and those that examined childhood exposure were less conclusive. These findings underscore the potential profound and lasting effects of prenatal EDC exposure on brain development, emphasizing the need for better regulation and strategies to reduce exposure and mitigate impacts. More studies are needed to examine the influence of postnatal exposure to EDC on brain imaging.

Current perspectives on perinatal mental health and neurobehavioral development: focus on regulation, coregulation and self-regulation

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Perinatal mental health research provides an important perspective on neurobehavioral development. Here, we aim to review the association of maternal perinatal health with offspring neurodevelopment, providing an update on (self-)regulation problems, hypothesized mechanistic pathways, progress and challenges, and implications for mental health.

RECENT FINDINGS

(1) Meta-analyses confirm that maternal perinatal mental distress is associated with (self-)regulation problems which constitute cognitive, behavioral, and affective social-emotional problems, while exposure to positive parental mental health has a positive impact. However, effect sizes are small. (2) Hypothesized mechanistic pathways underlying this association are complex. Interactive and compensatory mechanisms across developmental time are neglected topics. (3) Progress has been made in multiexposure studies. However, challenges remain and these are shared by clinical, translational and public health sciences. (4) From a mental healthcare perspective, a multidisciplinary and system level approach employing developmentally-sensitive measures and timely treatment of (self-)regulation and coregulation problems in a dyadic caregiver-child and family level approach seems needed. The existing evidence-base is sparse.

SUMMARY

During the perinatal period, addressing vulnerable contexts and building resilient systems may promote neurobehavioral development. A pluralistic approach to research, taking a multidisciplinary approach to theoretical models and empirical investigation needs to be fostered.