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Ha YW, Kim TH, Kang DR, Park KS, Shin DC, Cho J, Kim C. Estimation of Attributable Risk and Direct Medical and Non-Medical Costs of Major Mental Disorders Associated With Air Pollution Exposures Among Children and Adolescents in the Republic of Korea, 2011-2019. J Korean Med Sci 2024; 39:e218. [PMID: 39106887 PMCID: PMC11301008 DOI: 10.3346/jkms.2024.39.e218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 08/09/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent studies have reported the burden of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder [ADHD], autism spectrum disorder [ASD], and depressive disorder. Also, there is mounting evidence on the effects of environmental factors, such as ambient air pollution, on these disorders among children and adolescents. However, few studies have evaluated the burden of mental disorders attributable to air pollution exposure in children and adolescents. METHODS We estimated the risk ratios of major mental disorders (ADHD, ASD, and depressive disorder) associated with air pollutants among children and adolescents using time-series data (2011-2019) obtained from a nationwide air pollution monitoring network and healthcare utilization claims data in the Republic of Korea. Based on the estimated risk ratios, we determined the population attributable fraction (PAF) and calculated the medical costs of major mental disorders attributable to air pollution. RESULTS A total of 33,598 patients were diagnosed with major mental disorders during 9 years. The PAFs for all the major mental disorders were estimated at 6.9% (particulate matter < 10 μm [PM10]), 3.7% (PM2.5), and 2.2% (sulfur dioxide [SO2]). The PAF of PM10 was highest for depressive disorder (9.2%), followed by ASD (8.4%) and ADHD (5.2%). The direct medical costs of all major mental disorders attributable to PM10 and SO2 decreased during the study period. CONCLUSION This study assessed the burden of major mental disorders attributable to air pollution exposure in children and adolescents. We found that PM10, PM2.5, and SO2 attributed 7%, 4%, and 2% respectively, to the risk of major mental disorders among children and adolescents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yae Won Ha
- Department of Public Health, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Tae Hyun Kim
- Department of Healthcare Management, Graduate School of Public Health, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Dae Ryong Kang
- Department of Precision Medicine, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju, Korea
| | - Ki-Soo Park
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Institute of Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Korea
| | - Dong Chun Shin
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- Institute for Environmental Research, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jaelim Cho
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
| | - Changsoo Kim
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- Institute for Environmental Research, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
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Goodrich AJ, Kleeman MJ, Tancredi DJ, Ludeña YJ, Bennett DH, Hertz-Picciotto I, Schmidt RJ. Pre-pregnancy ozone and ultrafine particulate matter exposure during second year of life associated with decreased cognitive and adaptive functioning at aged 2-5 years. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 252:118854. [PMID: 38574983 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118854] [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: 11/10/2023] [Revised: 03/17/2024] [Accepted: 03/31/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study sought to investigate the association of prenatal and early life exposure to a mixture of air pollutants on cognitive and adaptive outcomes separately in children with or without autism spectrum disorder (ASD). METHODS Utilizing data from the CHARGE case-control study (birth years: 2000-2016), we predicted daily air concentrations of NO2, O3, and particulate matter <0.1 μm (PM0.1), between 0.1 and 2.5 μm (PM0.1-2.5), and between 2.5 and 10 μm (PM2.5-10) using chemical transport models with ground-based monitor adjustments. Exposures were evaluated for pre-pregnancy, each trimester, and the first two years of life. Individual and combined effects of pollutants were assessed with Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VABS) and Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL), separately for children with ASD (n = 660) and children without ASD (typically developing (TD) and developmentally delayed (DD) combined; n = 753) using hierarchical Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression (BKMR) models with three groups: PM size fractions (PM0.1, PM0.1-2.5, PM2.5-10), NO2, and O3. RESULTS Pre-pregnancy Ozone was strongly negatively associated with all scores in the non-ASD group (group posterior inclusion probability (gPIP) = 0.83-1.00). The PM group during year 2 was also strongly negatively associated with all scores in the non-ASD group (gPIP = 0.59-0.93), with PM0.1 driving the group association (conditional PIP (cPIP) = 0.73-0.96). Weaker and less consistent associations were observed between PM0.1-2.5 during pre-pregnancy and ozone during year 1 and VABS scores in the ASD group. CONCLUSIONS These findings prompt further investigation into ozone and ultrafine PM as potential environmental risk factors for neurodevelopment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda J Goodrich
- Department of Public Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California Davis, 128 Medical Sciences 1C, One Shields Ave, Sacramento, CA, USA.
| | - Michael J Kleeman
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Daniel J Tancredi
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Yunin J Ludeña
- Department of Public Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California Davis, 128 Medical Sciences 1C, One Shields Ave, Sacramento, CA, USA; Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Deborah H Bennett
- Department of Public Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California Davis, 128 Medical Sciences 1C, One Shields Ave, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Irva Hertz-Picciotto
- Department of Public Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California Davis, 128 Medical Sciences 1C, One Shields Ave, Sacramento, CA, USA; Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Rebecca J Schmidt
- Department of Public Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California Davis, 128 Medical Sciences 1C, One Shields Ave, Sacramento, CA, USA; Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
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Amnuaylojaroen T, Parasin N, Saokaew S. Exploring the association between early-life air pollution exposure and autism spectrum disorders in children: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Reprod Toxicol 2024; 125:108582. [PMID: 38556115 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2024.108582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
The objective of this meta-analysis is to investigate the association between air pollution and the vulnerability of children to autism spectrum disorders (ASD). A thorough examination and analysis of data obtained from a compilation of 14 studies was undertaken, with a particular emphasis on investigating the effects of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), oxide of nitrogen (NOx), ozone (O3), and particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5) on individuals diagnosed with ASD. The findings demonstrate a moderate association between exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and ASD, as indicated by a combined odds ratio (OR) of 1.13 and a 95% confidence interval (CI) spanning from 0.77 to 1.549. O3 shows a combined odds ratio (OR) of 0.82, along with a 95% confidence interval (CI) ranging from 0.49 to 1.14. NOx shows a moderate level of heterogeneity (I² = 75.9%, p = 0.002), suggesting that the impact of NOx on the risk of ASD. There is a statistically significant relationship between exposure to O3 and ASD, although the strength of this relationship is diminished. The findings demonstrated a noteworthy correlation between exposure to PM10 and PM2.5 and the occurrence of ASD. The study found a significant correlation, in relation to PM2.5, with a combined odds ratio (OR) of 1.22 and a 95% confidence interval (CI) ranging from 1.11 to 1.34. The findings have significant implications for the formulation of programs aimed at reducing exposure to harmful chemicals, especially among vulnerable groups such as children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teerachai Amnuaylojaroen
- School of Energy and Environment, University of Phayao, Phayao 56000, Thailand; Atmospheric Pollution and Climate Change Research Units, School of Energy and Environment, University of Phayao, Phayao 56000, Thailand.
| | - Nichapa Parasin
- School of Allied Health Science, University of Phayao, Phayao 56000, Thailand
| | - Surasak Saokaew
- Division of Social and Administrative Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Care, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Phayao, Phayao 56000, Thailand; Unit of Excellence on Clinical Outcomes Research and Integration (UNICORN), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Phayao, Phayao 56000, Thailand; Center of Health Outcomes Research and Therapeutic Safety (Cohorts), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Phayao, Phayao 56000, Thailand
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Goodrich AJ, Kleeman MJ, Tancredi DJ, Ludeña YJ, Bennett DH, Hertz-Picciotto I, Schmidt RJ. Ultrafine particulate matter exposure during second year of life, but not before, associated with increased risk of autism spectrum disorder in BKMR mixtures model of multiple air pollutants. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 242:117624. [PMID: 37956751 PMCID: PMC10872511 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117624] [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: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Prenatal and early postnatal air pollution exposures have been shown to be associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) risk but results regarding specific air pollutants and exposure timing are mixed and no study has investigated the effects of combined exposure to multiple air pollutants using a mixtures approach. We aimed to evaluate prenatal and early life multipollutant mixtures for the drivers of associations of air pollution with ASD. This study examined 484 typically developing (TD) and 660 ASD children from the CHARGE case-control study. Daily air concentrations for NO2, O3, ultrafine (PM0.1), fine (PM0.1-2.5), and coarse (PM2.5-10) particles were predicted from chemical transport models with statistical bias adjustment based on ground-based monitors. Daily averages were calculated for each exposure period (pre-pregnancy, each trimester of pregnancy, first and second year of life) between 2000 and 2016. Air pollution variables were natural log-transformed and then standardized. Individual and joint effects of pollutant exposure with ASD, and potential interactions, were evaluated for each period using hierarchical Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression (BKMR) models, with three groups: PM size fractions (PM0.1, PM0.1-2.5, PM2.5-10), NO2, and O3. In BKMR models, the PM group was associated with ASD in year 2 (group posterior inclusion probability (gPIP) = 0.75), and marginally associated in year 1 (gPIP = 0.497). PM2.5-10 appeared to drive the association (conditional PIP (cPIP) = 0.64) in year 1, while PM0.1 appeared to drive the association in year 2 (cPIP = 0.76), with both showing a moderately strong increased risk. Pre-pregnancy O3 showed a slight J-shaped risk of ASD (gPIP = 0.55). No associations were observed for exposures during pregnancy. Pre-pregnancy O3 and year 2 p.m.0.1 exposures appear to be associated with an increased risk of ASD. Future research should examine ultrafine particulate matter in relation to ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda J Goodrich
- Department of Public Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA.
| | - Michael J Kleeman
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Daniel J Tancredi
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Yunin J Ludeña
- Department of Public Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA; Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Deborah H Bennett
- Department of Public Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Irva Hertz-Picciotto
- Department of Public Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA; Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Rebecca J Schmidt
- Department of Public Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA; Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
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Yenkoyan K, Mkhitaryan M, Bjørklund G. Environmental Risk Factors in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Narrative Review. Curr Med Chem 2024; 31:2345-2360. [PMID: 38204225 DOI: 10.2174/0109298673252471231121045529] [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: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 10/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Existing evidence indicates that environmental factors might contribute up to 50% of the variance in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) risk. This structured narrative review offers a comprehensive synthesis of current knowledge on environmental risk factors in ASD, including evaluation of conflicting evidence, exploration of underlying mechanisms, and suggestions for future research directions. Analysis of diverse epidemiological investigations indicates that certain environmental factors, including advanced parental age, preterm birth, delivery complications, and exposure to toxic metals, drugs, air pollutants, and endocrine-disrupting chemicals, are linked to an increased ASD risk through various mechanisms such as oxidative stress, inflammation, hypoxia, and its consequences, changes in neurotransmitters, disruption of signaling pathways and some others. On the other hand, pregnancy-related factors such as maternal diabetes, maternal obesity, and caesarian section show a weaker association with ASD risk. At the same time, other environmental factors, such as vaccination, maternal smoking, or alcohol consumption, are not linked to the risk of ASD. Regarding nutritional elements data are inconclusive. These findings highlight the significance of environmental factors in ASD etiology and emphasize that more focused research is needed to target the risk factors of ASD. Environmental interventions targeting modifiable risk factors might offer promising avenues for ASD prevention and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Meri Mkhitaryan
- Neuroscience Laboratory, Cobrain Center, YSMU, Yerevan, 0025, Armenia
| | - Geir Bjørklund
- Department of Research, Council for Nutritional and Environmental Medicine, Mo i Rana, Norway
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Lin HH, Jung CR, Lin CY, Chang YC, Hsieh CY, Hsu PC, Chuang BR, Hwang BF. Prenatal and postnatal exposure to heavy metals in PM 2.5 and autism spectrum disorder. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 237:116874. [PMID: 37595830 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/20/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a group of neurodevelopmental disorders, and its incidence is increasing over time. Although several environmental factors have been suspected to be risk factors for ASD, studies on the effects of airborne heavy metals on newly developed ASD are still limited. We conducted a large birth cohort study of 168,062 live term births in Taichung during 2004-2011 to assess the association of heavy metals in particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 μm (PM2.5) with ASD, and identify sensitive time windows during prenatal and postnatal periods. Heavy metals, including arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), and lead (Pb) in PM2.5, were estimated using the Weather Research and Forecasting/Chem (WRF/Chem), inserted from the top 75 emission sources for the module. The association between childhood ASD and 4 metals were analyzed from pregnancy to 9 months after birth. The Cox proportional hazard model with a distributed lag nonlinear model (DLNM) was used to estimate the association between heavy metals in PM2.5 and ASD. We identified 666 incident ASD cases in 168,062 participants. A positive association between Hg and ASD was found at 9 months after birth (Hazard Ratio: 1.63; 95% CI: 1.13-2.36). According to the DLNM, there was an increased risk of exposure to Hg during 10-25 weeks after birth, and decreased risk of exposure to Hg during gestational weeks 4-6. Exposure to As and Hg on the risk of ASD were significantly stronger in low birth weight infants (<2500 g) than in those of birth weight ≥2500 g during postnatal period. Postnatal exposure to Hg in PM2.5 may associate with increased ASD incidence. Infants with low birth weight and exposure to As and Hg in PM2.5 are more likely to develop ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao-Hsuan Lin
- Department of Public Health, College of Public Health, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan; Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Public Health, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chau-Ren Jung
- Department of Public Health, College of Public Health, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan; Japan Environment and Children's Study Programme Office, Health and Environmental Risk Division, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Chuan-Yao Lin
- Research Center for Environmental Changes, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.
| | - Ya-Chu Chang
- Department of Occupational Safety and Health, College of Public Health, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Yun Hsieh
- Department of Occupational Safety and Health, College of Public Health, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Chuan Hsu
- Department of Occupational Safety and Health, College of Public Health, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Bao-Ru Chuang
- Department of Occupational Safety and Health, College of Public Health, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Bing-Fang Hwang
- Department of Occupational Safety and Health, College of Public Health, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan; Department of Occupational Therapy, College of Medical and Health Science, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan.
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Ling W, Ren Z, Wang W, Lu D, Zhou Q, Liu Q, Jiang G. Chronic Ambient Ozone Exposure Aggravates Autism-Like Symptoms in a Susceptible Mouse Model. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:14248-14259. [PMID: 37676697 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c00607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/08/2023]
Abstract
Although there is evidence that exposure to ground-level ozone (O3) may cause an increased risk of neurological disorders (e.g., autistic spectrum disorder), low-dose chronic ozone exposure and its adverse effects on the nervous system have not been fully understood. Here, we evaluated the potential neurotoxic effects of long-term exposure to environmentally relevant O3 concentration (200 μg/m3 via a whole-body inhalation system, 12 h/day for 5 days/week) using a susceptible mouse model of autism induced by valproic acid. Various indicators of oxidative stress, mitochondria, and synapse in the brain tissues were then measured to determine the overall damage of O3 to the mouse brain. The results showed an aggravated risk of autism in mice offspring, which was embodied in decreased antioxidant contents, disturbed energy generation in mitochondria, as well as reduced expressions of protein kinase Mζ (PKMζ) and synaptic proteins [e.g., Synapsin 1 (SYN 1), postsynaptic density protein-95 (PSD-95)]. Overall, our study indicates that prenatal exposure to environmentally relevant O3 may exacerbate the symptoms of autism, shedding light on possible molecular mechanisms and providing valuable insights into the pathogenesis of autism, especially concerning low-dose levels of those pollutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weibo Ling
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Zhihua Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- College of Environment and Resource, Research Center of Environment and Health, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China
| | - Weichao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310024, China
| | - Dawei Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Qunfang Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310024, China
| | - Qian Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Taishan Institute for Ecology and Environment (TIEE), Jinan 250100, China
| | - Guibin Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310024, China
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Gao CJ, Yang F, Wu B, Liang Y, Qin YY, Guo Y. A pilot study of several environmental endocrine disrupting chemicals in children with autism spectrum disorder in south China. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2023; 195:964. [PMID: 37462787 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-023-11570-6] [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: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is a group of heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorders. Evidence has implied that environmental pollutants are important factors related to ASD. In this study, several environmental endocrine-disrupting chemicals, including parabens, benzophenone-type ultraviolet filters, hydroxyl polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, triclosan and tetrabromobisphenol A were analyzed in blood plasma in ASD children (n = 34) and the control children (n = 28). The results showed that parabens were the most concentrated chemicals (2.18 ng/mL, median value), followed by hydroxyl polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (0.73 ng/mL), benzophenone-type ultraviolet filters (0.14 ng/mL), triclosan (0.13 ng/mL) and tetrabromobisphenol A (0.03 ng/mL). ASD children accumulated significantly lower 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone, 2,4-dihydroxybenzophenone, 4-hydroxybenzophenone and triclosan but higher 2-hydroxyphenanthrene and tetrabromobisphenol A than the control children (0.02/0.09 ng/mL of 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone, p < 0.05; 0.04/0.07 ng/mL of 2,4-dihydroxybenzophenone, p < 0.05; 0.03/0.04 ng/mL of 4-hydroxybenzophenone, p < 0.05; 0.13/1.22 ng/mL of triclosan, p < 0.01; 0.03 ng/mL/not detected of 2-hydroxyphenanthrene, p < 0.05; 0.03/0.004 ng/mL of tetrabromobisphenol A, p < 0.05). Gender differences in certain environmental endocrine-disrupting chemicals were evident, and the differences were more inclined toward boys. Positive associations between 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone and triclosan, and tetrabromobisphenol A and 2-hydroxyphenanthrene were found in ASD boys. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that the adjusted odds ratio value of 2-hydroxyphenanthrene in ASD boys was 11.0 (1.45-84.0, p < 0.05). This is the first pilot study on multiple environmental endocrine-disrupting chemicals in children with ASD in China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chong-Jing Gao
- College of Biological and Environmental Science, Zhejiang Wanli University, Ningbo, 315100, China.
- School of Environment, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China.
| | - Feng Yang
- Speech Therapy Department, Shenzhen Children's Hospital, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Binbin Wu
- Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Yan Liang
- Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China
- School of Resources and Environment, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 611731, China
| | - Yan-Yan Qin
- School of Medical Technology and Nursing, Shenzhen Polytechnic, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
| | - Ying Guo
- School of Environment, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
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Santos JX, Sampaio P, Rasga C, Martiniano H, Faria C, Café C, Oliveira A, Duque F, Oliveira G, Sousa L, Nunes A, Vicente AM. Evidence for an association of prenatal exposure to particulate matter with clinical severity of Autism Spectrum Disorder. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 228:115795. [PMID: 37028534 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.115795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Early-life exposure to air pollutants, including ozone (O3), particulate matter (PM2.5 or PM10, depending on diameter of particles), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) has been suggested to contribute to the etiology of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). In this study, we used air quality monitoring data to examine whether mothers of children with ASD were exposed to high levels of air pollutants during critical periods of pregnancy, and if higher exposure levels may lead to a higher clinical severity in their offspring. We used public data from the Portuguese Environment Agency to estimate exposure to these pollutants during the first, second and third trimesters of pregnancy, full pregnancy and first year of life of the child, for 217 subjects with ASD born between 2003 and 2016. These subjects were stratified in two subgroups according to clinical severity, as defined by the Autism Diagnostic Observational Schedule (ADOS). For all time periods, the average levels of PM2.5, PM10 and NO2 to which the subjects were exposed were within the admissible levels defined by the European Union. However, a fraction of these subjects showed exposure to levels of PM2.5 and PM10 above the admissible threshold. A higher clinical severity was associated with higher exposure to PM2.5 (p = 0.001), NO2 (p = 0.011) and PM10 (p = 0.041) during the first trimester of pregnancy, when compared with milder clinical severity. After logistic regression, associations with higher clinical severity were identified for PM2.5 exposure during the first trimester (p = 0.002; OR = 1.14, 95%CI: 1.05-1.23) and full pregnancy (p = 0.04; OR = 1.07, 95%CI: 1.00-1.15) and for PM10 (p = 0.02; OR = 1.07, 95%CI: 1.01-1.14) exposure during the third trimester. Exposure to PM is known to elicit neuropathological mechanisms associated with ASD, including neuroinflammation, mitochondrial disruptions, oxidative stress and epigenetic changes. These results offer new insights on the impact of early-life exposure to PM in ASD clinical severity.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Xavier Santos
- Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Avenida Padre Cruz, 1649-016, Lisboa, Portugal; BioISI - Biosystems & Integrative Sciences Institute, University of Lisboa, Faculty of Sciences, Campo Grande, C8, 1749-016, Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - Pedro Sampaio
- Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Avenida Padre Cruz, 1649-016, Lisboa, Portugal; BioISI - Biosystems & Integrative Sciences Institute, University of Lisboa, Faculty of Sciences, Campo Grande, C8, 1749-016, Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - Célia Rasga
- Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Avenida Padre Cruz, 1649-016, Lisboa, Portugal; BioISI - Biosystems & Integrative Sciences Institute, University of Lisboa, Faculty of Sciences, Campo Grande, C8, 1749-016, Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - Hugo Martiniano
- Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Avenida Padre Cruz, 1649-016, Lisboa, Portugal; BioISI - Biosystems & Integrative Sciences Institute, University of Lisboa, Faculty of Sciences, Campo Grande, C8, 1749-016, Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - Clarissa Faria
- Unidade de Neurodesenvolvimento e Autismo, Serviço Do Centro de Desenvolvimento da Criança, Centro de Investigação e Formação Clínica, Hospital Pediátrico, Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
| | - Cátia Café
- Unidade de Neurodesenvolvimento e Autismo, Serviço Do Centro de Desenvolvimento da Criança, Centro de Investigação e Formação Clínica, Hospital Pediátrico, Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal; Faculty of Medicine, University Clinic of Pediatrics and Coimbra Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Translational Research, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Alexandra Oliveira
- Unidade de Neurodesenvolvimento e Autismo, Serviço Do Centro de Desenvolvimento da Criança, Centro de Investigação e Formação Clínica, Hospital Pediátrico, Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal; Faculty of Medicine, University Clinic of Pediatrics and Coimbra Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Translational Research, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
| | - Frederico Duque
- Unidade de Neurodesenvolvimento e Autismo, Serviço Do Centro de Desenvolvimento da Criança, Centro de Investigação e Formação Clínica, Hospital Pediátrico, Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal; Faculty of Medicine, University Clinic of Pediatrics and Coimbra Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Translational Research, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
| | - Guiomar Oliveira
- Unidade de Neurodesenvolvimento e Autismo, Serviço Do Centro de Desenvolvimento da Criança, Centro de Investigação e Formação Clínica, Hospital Pediátrico, Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal; Faculty of Medicine, University Clinic of Pediatrics and Coimbra Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Translational Research, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
| | - Lisete Sousa
- Departamento de Estatística e Investigação Operacional e Centro de Estatística e Aplicações, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.
| | - Ana Nunes
- BioISI - Biosystems & Integrative Sciences Institute, University of Lisboa, Faculty of Sciences, Campo Grande, C8, 1749-016, Lisboa, Portugal; Departamento de Física, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - Astrid Moura Vicente
- Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Avenida Padre Cruz, 1649-016, Lisboa, Portugal; BioISI - Biosystems & Integrative Sciences Institute, University of Lisboa, Faculty of Sciences, Campo Grande, C8, 1749-016, Lisboa, Portugal.
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10
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Li Y, Xie T, Cardoso Melo RD, de Vries M, Lakerveld J, Zijlema W, Hartman CA. Longitudinal effects of environmental noise and air pollution exposure on autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder during adolescence and early adulthood: The TRAILS study. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 227:115704. [PMID: 36940817 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.115704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exposure to ambient noise and air pollution may affect the manifestation and severity of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). However, evidence is limited, and most studies solely assessed environmental exposures during pregnancy and early childhood. OBJECTIVE To examine the longitudinal effects of ambient noise and air pollutants on ASD and ADHD symptom severity during adolescence and early adulthood. METHODS Using a longitudinal design, we included 2750 children between 10 and 12 years old from the TRacking Adolescents' Individual Lives Survey (TRAILS) in the Netherlands, who were assessed in 6 waves from 2001 to 2017. ASD was measured by the Children's Social Behavior Questionnaire and the Adult Social Behavior Questionnaire. ADHD was measured by Child Behavior Checklist and the Adult Behavior Checklist. Ambient noise and air pollution exposures, including Ozone (O3), soot, sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5), and PM10 were modeled at the residential level according to standardized protocols. The longitudinal associations between exposures and symptom outcomes were examined using linear mixed models. RESULTS We found evidence that higher levels of exposure to PM were associated with more severe ASD and ADHD symptoms. This association decreased over time. We did not observe any other consistent associations of noise or other air pollutants with ASD and ADHD severity. CONCLUSION The current study provides evidence for the negative impact of PM on ASD and ADHD symptoms. We did not find evidence of the negative health impact of other air pollutants and noise exposures on ASD or ADHD symptoms. Our study adds more evidence on the presence of associations between PM air pollution and neurodevelopmental diseases among adolescents and young adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiran Li
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Interdisciplinary Center Psychopathology and Emotion Regulation, Department of Psychiatry, Groningen, Netherlands.
| | - Tian Xie
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Interdisciplinary Center Psychopathology and Emotion Regulation, Department of Psychiatry, Groningen, Netherlands.
| | - Raniere Dener Cardoso Melo
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Interdisciplinary Center Psychopathology and Emotion Regulation, Department of Psychiatry, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Maaike de Vries
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Epidemiology, Groningen, Netherlands; University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen Research Institute for Asthma and COPD (GRIAC), Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Jeroen Lakerveld
- Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Epidemiology and Data Science, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Wilma Zijlema
- The Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Doctor Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Doctor Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiolo'gıa y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Melchor Fernandez ' Almagro, 3-5, 28029, Madrid, Spain
| | - Catharina A Hartman
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Interdisciplinary Center Psychopathology and Emotion Regulation, Department of Psychiatry, Groningen, Netherlands
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11
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Iyanna N, Yolton K, LeMasters G, Lanphear BP, Cecil KM, Schwartz J, Brokamp C, Rasnick E, Xu Y, MacDougall MC, Ryan PH. Air pollution exposure and social responsiveness in childhood: The cincinnati combined childhood cohorts. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2023; 251:114172. [PMID: 37116232 PMCID: PMC10682723 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2023.114172] [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: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 04/30/2023]
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) affects about 1 in 44 children and environmental exposures may contribute to disease onset. Air pollution has been associated with adverse neurobehavioral outcomes, yet little research has examined its association with autistic-like behaviors. Therefore, our objective was to examine the association between exposure to air pollution, including NO2 and PM2.5, during pregnancy and the first year of life to ASD-like behaviors during childhood. Participants (n = 435) enrolled in the Cincinnati Childhood Allergy and Air Pollution Study and the Health Outcomes and Measures of the Environment Study were included in the analysis. Daily exposures to NO2 and PM2.5 at the residential addresses of participants were estimated using validated spatiotemporal models and averaged to obtain prenatal and first year exposure estimates. ASD-like behaviors were assessed via the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) questionnaire at age 12. Linear regression models adjusting for confounders were applied to estimate the association between pollutants and SRS scores. After adjusting for covariates, the association between NO2 and PM2.5 and SRS scores remained positive but were no longer statistically significant. Prenatal and first year exposure to NO2 were associated with total SRS T-scores with an estimated 0.4 point increase (95% CI: -0.7, 1.6) per 5.2 ppb increase in NO2 exposure and 0.7 point (95% CI: -0.3, 1.6) per 4.2 ppb increase in NO2 exposure, respectively. For PM2.5, a 2.6 μg/m3 increase in prenatal exposure was associated with a 0.1 point increase (95% CI: -1.1, 1.4) in SRS Total T-scores and a 1.3 μg/m3 increase first year of life was associated with a 1 point increase (95% CI: -0.2, 2.3). In summary, exposure to NO2 and PM2.5 during pregnancy and the first year of life were not significantly associated with higher autistic-like behaviors measured with SRS scores after adjustment of covariates. Additional research is warranted given prior studies suggesting air pollution contributes to ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nidhi Iyanna
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Division of General and Community Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Kimberly Yolton
- Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Department of Environmental and Public Health Sciences, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Grace LeMasters
- Department of Environmental and Public Health Sciences, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Bruce P Lanphear
- Child and Family Research Institute, BC Children's and Women's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Kim M Cecil
- Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Department of Environmental and Public Health Sciences, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Department of Radiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Joel Schwartz
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, USA
| | - Cole Brokamp
- Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Erika Rasnick
- Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Yingying Xu
- Division of General and Community Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Melinda C MacDougall
- Division of General and Community Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Patrick H Ryan
- Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Department of Environmental and Public Health Sciences, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
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12
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Zierold KM, Myers JV, Brock GN, Sears CG, Zhang CH, Sears L. Indoor coal ash and school and social competency among children aged 6-14 years. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2023; 33:434-438. [PMID: 36396715 PMCID: PMC10188657 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-022-00500-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2022] [Revised: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A child's ability to succeed in social interactions and in a school setting are important for their development and growth. Exposure to environmental pollutants has been associated with poorer school performance and fewer social interaction in children. Fly ash, a waste product generated when burning coal for energy, is comprised of small glass spheres with neurotoxic heavy metal(loid)s found to be risk factors for learning and social problems in school. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this novel study was to assess the association of fly ash in children's homes with school and social competency. METHODS We recruited children aged 6-14 years old from communities located within 10 miles of two coal-burning power plants. In homes of the participants, fly ash was collected on polycarbonate filters using personal modular impactors. We measured school competency and social competency using the validated Child Behavioral Checklist. Using Tobit and linear regression we investigated the relationship of indoor fly ash with school and social competency. RESULTS Forty-three percent of children in the study had fly ash in their homes. In covariate-adjusted Tobit models, children with fly ash in their homes scored on average 2.63 (95% CI: -4.98, -0.28) points lower on the school competency scale than peers without ash in their homes. We did not observe that fly ash in homes was related with lower social competency. SIGNIFICANCE Results from this study suggest that children with fly ash in their homes had poorer performance in the school setting, compared to peers without fly ash in their homes. In the US, coal-fired power plants are being closed, however health concerns about pollution from coal ash storage facilities remains. Findings from this study can provide impetus for creating of public health policy and to highlight the need future research on children's exposure to fly ash. IMPACT Children's growth and development are impacted by their social interactions and ability to perform in school settings. Environmental pollutants may impact these essential elements of development. Millions of children are exposed to fly ash which is a waste product generated from burning coal. Fly ash, an environmental health threat throughout the world, is comprised of small glass spheres with trace concentrations of neurotoxic metal(loid)s. Findings from this research show that children with fly ash in their homes are significantly more likely to have poorer school performance than children without fly ash in their homes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina M Zierold
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
| | - John V Myers
- Department of Biomedical Informatics and Center for Biostatistics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Guy N Brock
- Department of Biomedical Informatics and Center for Biostatistics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Clara G Sears
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA
| | - Charlie H Zhang
- Department of Geographic & Environmental Sciences, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA
| | - Lonnie Sears
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA
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Abstract
Air pollution is a complex mixture of gases and particulate matter, with adsorbed organic and inorganic contaminants, to which exposure is lifelong. Epidemiological studies increasingly associate air pollution with multiple neurodevelopmental disorders and neurodegenerative diseases, findings supported by experimental animal models. This breadth of neurotoxicity across these central nervous system diseases and disorders likely reflects shared vulnerability of their inflammatory and oxidative stress-based mechanisms and a corresponding ability to produce brain metal dyshomeo-stasis. Future research to define the responsible contaminants of air pollution underlying this neurotoxicity is critical to understanding mechanisms of these diseases and disorders and protecting public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah A Cory-Slechta
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine, Rochester, New York, USA;
| | - Alyssa Merrill
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine, Rochester, New York, USA;
| | - Marissa Sobolewski
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine, Rochester, New York, USA;
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14
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Liu H, Ding L, Qu G, Guo X, Liang M, Ma S, Sun Y. Particulate matter exposure during pregnancy and infancy and risks of autism spectrum disorder in children: A systematic review and meta-analysis. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 855:158830. [PMID: 36150594 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE This meta-analysis aimed to clarify the relationship between particulate matter (PM) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in detail. METHODS A systematic literature search was performed using eight databases before April 9, 2022. The estimated effects were combined separately according to the PM type. Subgroup analyses were conducted in terms of the study design type, study location, exposure window, birth year, and sex. RESULTS PM2.5 was associated with an increased risk of ASD, while PM10 was not. PMc, PM1, and diesel particulate matter (DPM) were also associated with an increased risk of ASD. Specifically, a 10 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 was associated with a 1.337-fold increased risk of ASD in children, and a 10 μg/m3 increase in PMc and PM1 may increase the risk of ASD by 1.062 and 3.643 times, respectively. PM2.5 exposure may increase the risk of ASD in boys. Exposure to PMc might increase the risk of ASD in children born after the year 2000. The combined results of different PM differed between studies with continuous and non-continuous data for different study design type, study location, and birth year. The sensitive window for PM2.5 exposure to increase the risk of ASD may be from the first, second, and third trimesters to the first year of the postnatal period. Exposure to PMc during pregnancy was significantly associated with ASD. CONCLUSION Exposure to PM2.5 may increase the risk of ASD in boys. Exposure to PM2.5 during the first, second, and third trimesters and postnatally increased the risk of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haixia Liu
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, No. 81 Meishan Road, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Liu Ding
- Key Laboratory of High Magnetic Field and Ion Beam Physical Biology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, Anhui, China; University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, Anhui, China
| | - Guangbo Qu
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, No. 81 Meishan Road, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Xianwei Guo
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, No. 81 Meishan Road, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China
| | - MingMing Liang
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, No. 81 Meishan Road, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Shaodi Ma
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, No. 81 Meishan Road, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Yehuan Sun
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, No. 81 Meishan Road, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China; Chaohu Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 238000, Anhui, China; Center for Evidence-Based Practice, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China.
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15
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Fang D, Bing W, Yao-Hui H, Chun-Xia J, Ying Z, Xing-Li L, Hua-Wei T, Ying-Jun X, Wan-Wei L, Xiu-Juan L, Dong-Yong F, Wei-Ting Y, Rong Z, Jian-Ping L, Yin-Qin Z. The association of air pollutants with hospital outpatient visits for child and adolescence psychiatry in Shenzhen, China. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 216:114598. [PMID: 36257448 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.114598] [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: 04/25/2022] [Revised: 09/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although exposure to ambient air pollution has been associated with mental disorder, little is known about its potential effects on children and adolescents, especially in Chinese population. We aimed to reveal the relationship of air pollutants with hospital outpatient visits for child and adolescence psychiatry (HOVCAP) in Shenzhen. METHODS A case-crossover study based on time-series data was applied, and a distributed lag non-linear model (DLNM) was used to evaluate the non-linear and delayed effects of 4 major air pollutants (NO2, PM2.5, SO2 and O3) on HOVCAP. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression was used to control the multicollinearity between covariates and to filter variables. RESULT A total of 94,660 cases aged 3-18 were collected from 2014 to 2019 in the Mental Health Center of Shenzhen. Results of pollutants at mode value (M0) showed that in the single lag effect result, when the average daily concentration of NO2 at 24 μg/m3, there was a significant effect on HOVCAP over lag 1, lag 4 and lag 5, respectively. The cumulative RR of NO2 M0 value to the outpatient visits were 1.438 (1.137-1.818) over lag 0-2, 1.454 (1.120-1.887) over lag 0-3, 1.466 (1.084-1.982) over lag 0-4, 1.680 (1.199-2.354) over lag 0-5, 1.993 (1.369-2.903) over lag 0-6, and 2.069 (1.372-3.119) over lag 0-7. However, PM2.5, SO2, O3 were not associated with HOVCAP over neither single lag effects nor cumulative effects. The RR values both shown an increase either when NO2 increases by 10 units or when the maximum concentration of NO2 is reached. CONCLUSION Our study suggests that exposure to the normal air quality of NO2 in Shenzhen may associated with the risk of HOVCAP. However, PM2.5, SO2, O3 were not associated with HOVCAP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong Fang
- Shenzhen Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine (Futian), Shenzhen, 518034, China.
| | - Wang Bing
- Department of Child Psychiatry, Shenzhen Kangning Hospital, Shenzhen, 518003, China.
| | - Han Yao-Hui
- Chronic Disease Prevention and Treatment Center of Shenzhen Futian District, Shenzhen, 518034, China.
| | - Jing Chun-Xia
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, No.601 Huangpu Ave West, Guangzhou, 510632, Guangdong, China.
| | - Zhang Ying
- Department of Child Psychiatry, Shenzhen Kangning Hospital, Shenzhen, 518003, China.
| | - Liu Xing-Li
- Shenzhen Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine (Futian), Shenzhen, 518034, China.
| | - Tian Hua-Wei
- Chronic Disease Prevention and Treatment Center of Shenzhen Futian District, Shenzhen, 518034, China.
| | - Xiang Ying-Jun
- Chronic Disease Prevention and Treatment Center of Shenzhen Futian District, Shenzhen, 518034, China.
| | - Liao Wan-Wei
- Chronic Disease Prevention and Treatment Center of Shenzhen Futian District, Shenzhen, 518034, China.
| | - Li Xiu-Juan
- Department of Child Psychiatry, Shenzhen Kangning Hospital, Shenzhen, 518003, China.
| | - Fan Dong-Yong
- Chronic Disease Prevention and Treatment Center of Shenzhen Futian District, Shenzhen, 518034, China.
| | - Yang Wei-Ting
- Chronic Disease Prevention and Treatment Center of Shenzhen Futian District, Shenzhen, 518034, China.
| | - Zhao Rong
- Chronic Disease Prevention and Treatment Center of Shenzhen Futian District, Shenzhen, 518034, China
| | - Lu Jian-Ping
- Department of Child Psychiatry, Shenzhen Kangning Hospital, Shenzhen, 518003, China
| | - Zhong Yin-Qin
- Shenzhen Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine (Futian), Shenzhen, 518034, China.
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16
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Ruiz-Lara K, García-Medina S, Galar-Martínez M, Parra-Ortega I, Morales-Balcázar I, Hernández-Rosas NA, Moreno-Vázquez SE, Hernández-Díaz M, Cano-Viveros S, Olvera-Roldán EO, Gómez-Oliván LM, Gasca-Pérez E, García-Medina AL. The evaluation of liver dysfunction and oxidative stress due to urban environmental pollution in Mexican population related to Madin Dam, State of Mexico: a pilot study. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:6950-6964. [PMID: 36018407 PMCID: PMC9411834 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-22724-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
One of the most important causes of disease and premature death in the world is environmental pollution. The presence of pollutants in both water and air contributes to the deterioration of the health of human populations. The Mexico City Metropolitan Area is one of the most populous and affected by air pollution worldwide; in addition, in recent years there has been a growing demand for water, so urban reservoirs such as the Madin dam are vital to meet the demand. However, this reservoir is highly polluted due to the urban settlements around it. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to evaluate oxidative stress in clinically healthy subjects by means of the degree of lipoperoxidation, as well as the modification of serum enzyme levels, such as alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase and lactate dehydrogenase associated with air and drinking water pollutants from three zones of the Mexico City Metropolitan Area, two of them related to Madin Dam. This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted between March 2019 and September 2021 in 142 healthy participants (age range 18-65 years). Healthy subjects were confirmed by their medical history. The results showed that chronic exposure to air (SO2) and water pollutants (Al and Fe) was significantly associated with elevated levels of lipoperoxidation. There was evidence that contamination from the Madín dam can generate oxidative stress and affect the health status of people who receive water from this reservoir or who consume fish that inhabit it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karina Ruiz-Lara
- Laboratorio de Toxicología Acuática, Sección de Graduados E Investigación, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Plan de Ayala Y Carpio S/N, 11340, Mexico City, México
| | - Sandra García-Medina
- Laboratorio de Toxicología Acuática, Sección de Graduados E Investigación, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Plan de Ayala Y Carpio S/N, 11340, Mexico City, México.
| | - Marcela Galar-Martínez
- Laboratorio de Toxicología Acuática, Sección de Graduados E Investigación, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Plan de Ayala Y Carpio S/N, 11340, Mexico City, México
| | - Israel Parra-Ortega
- Laboratorio Clínico, Hospital Infantil de México "Federico Gómez", Doctor Márquez 162, Delegación Doctores, Cuauhtémoc, 06720, México City, México
| | - Israel Morales-Balcázar
- Laboratorio Clínico, Hospital Infantil de México "Federico Gómez", Doctor Márquez 162, Delegación Doctores, Cuauhtémoc, 06720, México City, México
| | - Nancy Aline Hernández-Rosas
- Universidad Tecnológica de México, S. C. Avenida Central 375, Ejidos Tulpetlac, 55107, Ecatepec de Morelos, México
| | - Sergio Esteban Moreno-Vázquez
- Laboratorio de Productos Naturales, Sección de Graduados E Investigación, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Plan de Ayala Y Carpio S/N, 11340, Mexico City, México
| | - Misael Hernández-Díaz
- Laboratorio de Toxicología Acuática, Sección de Graduados E Investigación, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Plan de Ayala Y Carpio S/N, 11340, Mexico City, México
| | - Selene Cano-Viveros
- Laboratorio de Toxicología Acuática, Sección de Graduados E Investigación, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Plan de Ayala Y Carpio S/N, 11340, Mexico City, México
| | - Eduardo Osel Olvera-Roldán
- Laboratorio de Toxicología Acuática, Sección de Graduados E Investigación, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Plan de Ayala Y Carpio S/N, 11340, Mexico City, México
| | - Leobardo Manuel Gómez-Oliván
- Laboratorio de Toxicología Ambiental, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Paseo Colón Intersección Paseo Tollocan S/N. Col. Residencial Colón, 50120, Toluca, Mexico City, México
| | - Eloy Gasca-Pérez
- Laboratorio de Toxicología Acuática, Sección de Graduados E Investigación, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Plan de Ayala Y Carpio S/N, 11340, Mexico City, México
| | - Alba Lucero García-Medina
- Laboratorio de Toxicología Acuática, Sección de Graduados E Investigación, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Plan de Ayala Y Carpio S/N, 11340, Mexico City, México
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Zhou P, Zhang W, Xu YJ, Liu RQ, Qian Z, McMillin SE, Bingheim E, Lin LZ, Zeng XW, Yang BY, Hu LW, Chen W, Chen G, Yu Y, Dong GH. Association between long-term ambient ozone exposure and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms among Chinese children. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 216:114602. [PMID: 36265606 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.114602] [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: 08/11/2022] [Revised: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although ozone exposure has neurological toxicity, it remains unclear whether it was associated with an increased risk of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorders (ADHD) among childhood. METHODS We matched the four-year average ozone concentration with questionnaire data for 35,103 children aged 3-12 years from seven cities in Liaoning, China, 2012-2013. Using mixed-effect logistic regression models, we assessed the association of ozone concentration with multiple ADHD indicators using the Conners Abbreviated Symptom Questionnaire (C-ASQ), including explicit attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms (ADHD; score ≥15), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder tendencies (ADHD-T; 11 ≤ score ≤14), and attention-deficit/hyperactivity problems (ADHP; score ≥11). Results were also stratified by sociodemongraphics. RESULTS After adjusting for covariates, we found that each interquartile range (IQR) increase in ozone concentration was associated with an increased risk of ADHD, ADHD-T, and ADHP (P < 0.001) with an odds ratio of 1.12 (95% confidence interval, 1.04-1.21), 1.08 (1.03-1.13), and 1.09 (1.05-1.14), respectively. Additionally, we found greater effect estimates in children who reported longer exercise time (vs those with limited exercise time) with odds ratio of 1.18 (1.07-1.31) vs 1.06 (0.96-1.17) for ADHD, 1.13 (1.06-1.21) vs 1.03 (0.96-1.10) for ADHD-T, and 1.15 (1.08-1.21) vs 1.04 (0.98-1.10) for ADHP. Non-breastfed children were also shown to be more vulnerable to ADHD with an odds ratio of 1.22 (1.09-1.36) compared with 1.06 (0.96-1.16) among the rest. CONCLUSIONS Long-term ozone exposure may be associated with increased ADHD among children. Additional studies are needed to validate our findings and support policies and interventions to address this growing public health concern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peien Zhou
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment; Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Wangjian Zhang
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Yu-Jie Xu
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment; Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Ru-Qing Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment; Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Zhengmin Qian
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College for Public Health & Social Justice, Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, MO 63104, USA
| | | | - Elizabeth Bingheim
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College for Public Health & Social Justice, Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, MO 63104, USA
| | - Li-Zi Lin
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment; Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Xiao-Wen Zeng
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment; Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Bo-Yi Yang
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment; Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Li-Wen Hu
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment; Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Wen Chen
- Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Gongbo Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment; Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China.
| | - Yunjiang Yu
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Health Risk Assessment, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Environmental Protection, Guangzhou, 510655, China.
| | - Guang-Hui Dong
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment; Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China.
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18
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Ghahari N, Yousefian F, Najafi E. Prenatal exposure to ambient air pollution and autism spectrum disorders: Results from a family‐based case‐control study. JCPP ADVANCES 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/jcv2.12129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Nima Ghahari
- Centre for Health Services Research Faculty of Medicine University of Queensland Brisbane Queensland Australia
- Department of Survey Engineering Faculty of Civil Engineering Shahid Rajaee Teacher Training University Tehran Iran
| | - Fatemeh Yousefian
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering Faculty of Health Kashan University of Medical Sciences Kashan Iran
| | - Ehsan Najafi
- Department of Survey Engineering Faculty of Civil Engineering Shahid Rajaee Teacher Training University Tehran Iran
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Li T, Yu Y, Sun Z, Duan J. A comprehensive understanding of ambient particulate matter and its components on the adverse health effects based from epidemiological and laboratory evidence. Part Fibre Toxicol 2022; 19:67. [PMID: 36447278 PMCID: PMC9707232 DOI: 10.1186/s12989-022-00507-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
The impacts of air pollution on public health have become a great concern worldwide. Ambient particulate matter (PM) is a major air pollution that comprises a heterogeneous mixture of different particle sizes and chemical components. The chemical composition and physicochemical properties of PM change with space and time, which may cause different impairments. However, the mechanisms of the adverse effects of PM on various systems have not been fully elucidated and systematically integrated. The Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) framework was used to comprehensively illustrate the molecular mechanism of adverse effects of PM and its components, so as to clarify the causal mechanistic relationships of PM-triggered toxicity on various systems. The main conclusions and new insights of the correlation between public health and PM were discussed, especially at low concentrations, which points out the direction for further research in the future. With the deepening of the study on its toxicity mechanism, it was found that PM can still induce adverse health effects with low-dose exposure. And the recommended Air Quality Guideline level of PM2.5 was adjusted to 5 μg/m3 by World Health Organization, which meant that deeper and more complex mechanisms needed to be explored. Traditionally, oxidative stress, inflammation, autophagy and apoptosis were considered the main mechanisms of harmful effects of PM. However, recent studies have identified several emerging mechanisms involved in the toxicity of PM, including pyroptosis, ferroptosis and epigenetic modifications. This review summarized the comprehensive evidence on the health effects of PM and the chemical components of it, as well as the combined toxicity of PM with other air pollutants. Based on the AOP Wiki and the mechanisms of PM-induced toxicity at different levels, we first constructed the PM-related AOP frameworks on various systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianyu Li
- grid.24696.3f0000 0004 0369 153XDepartment of Toxicology and Sanitary Chemistry, School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069 People’s Republic of China ,grid.24696.3f0000 0004 0369 153XBeijing Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069 People’s Republic of China
| | - Yang Yu
- grid.24696.3f0000 0004 0369 153XDepartment of Toxicology and Sanitary Chemistry, School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069 People’s Republic of China ,grid.24696.3f0000 0004 0369 153XBeijing Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069 People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhiwei Sun
- grid.24696.3f0000 0004 0369 153XDepartment of Toxicology and Sanitary Chemistry, School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069 People’s Republic of China ,grid.24696.3f0000 0004 0369 153XBeijing Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069 People’s Republic of China
| | - Junchao Duan
- grid.24696.3f0000 0004 0369 153XDepartment of Toxicology and Sanitary Chemistry, School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069 People’s Republic of China ,grid.24696.3f0000 0004 0369 153XBeijing Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069 People’s Republic of China
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20
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Pagalan L, Oberlander TF, Hanley GE, Rosella LC, Bickford C, Weikum W, Lanphear N, Lanphear B, Brauer M, van den Bosch M. The association between prenatal greenspace exposure and Autism spectrum disorder, and the potentially mediating role of air pollution reduction: A population-based birth cohort study. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2022; 167:107445. [PMID: 35921770 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Revised: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) incidence has increased in past decades. ASD etiology remains inconclusive, but research suggests genetic, epigenetic, and environmental contributing factors and likely prenatal origins. Few studies have examined modifiable environmental risk factors for ASD, and far fewer have examined protective exposures. Greenspace has been associated with positive child development, but very limited greenspace research has examined ASD risk or prenatal exposures. Only one ecological study in 2017 has evaluated the association between greenspace and ASD, observing protective benefits. Greenspace may have direct effects on ASD risk and indirect effects by reducing air pollution exposure, a growing suspected ASD risk factor. OBJECTIVES To measure the association between prenatal greenspace exposure and ASD risk and examine if reduced air pollution levels in areas of higher greenspace mediate this association. METHODS We linked a population-based birth cohort of all deliveries in Metro Vancouver, Canada, from 2004 to 2009, with follow-up to 2014. Diagnoses were based on Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule and Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised instruments. Greenspace was quantified as the average of the annual mean Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) within a 250 m buffer of a residential postal code. Air pollutant exposures-particulate matter with a diameter less than 2.5 µm (PM2.5), nitric oxide (NO), and nitrogen dioxide (NO2)-were derived from previously developed and temporally adjusted land use regression models. We estimated air pollutant exposures as the mean concentration per month during pregnancy. We calculated odds ratios (ORs) using logistic regression per NDVI interquartile range (IQR) increase, adjusting for child sex, birth month and year, maternal age and birthplace, and neighborhood-level urbanicity and income. To estimate the health impact of greenspace on ASD at the population level, we used the logistic regression model and marginal standardization to derive risk differences (RDs). Lastly, to quantify the mediating effect of greenspace on ASD risk through air pollution reduction, we used marginal structural models and a potential outcomes framework to calculate marginal risk differences (RDs) to decompose the total effect of greenspace on ASD into natural direct and indirect effects. RESULTS Of 129,222 births, 1,921 (1.5 %) children were diagnosed with ASD. The adjusted OR for ASD per NDVI IQR (0.12) increase was 0.96 (95 % CI: 0.90, 1.02) in 250 m buffer zones and 0.94 (95 % CI: 0.89, 1.00) in 100 m buffer zones. On the additive scale, the adjusted RDs were null. Natural direct, natural indirect, and total effect RDs were null for PM2.5, NO, and NO2 mediation models. CONCLUSION Prenatal greenspace exposure was associated with reduced odds of ASD, but in the additive scale, this effect was null at the population level. No mediating effect was observed through reduced air pollution, suggesting that air pollution may act as a confounder rather than as a mediator.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lief Pagalan
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Tim F Oberlander
- British Columbia Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children, British Columbia Children's Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
| | - Gillian E Hanley
- British Columbia Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
| | - Laura C Rosella
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Celeste Bickford
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
| | - Whitney Weikum
- Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children, British Columbia Children's Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
| | - Nancy Lanphear
- British Columbia Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
| | - Bruce Lanphear
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
| | - Michael Brauer
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
| | - Matilda van den Bosch
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Department of Forest & Conservation Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; ISGlobal, Parc de Recerca Biomèdica de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain.
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21
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Davies TC. The position of geochemical variables as causal co-factors of diseases of unknown aetiology. SN APPLIED SCIENCES 2022; 4:236. [PMID: 35909942 PMCID: PMC9326422 DOI: 10.1007/s42452-022-05113-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract The term diseases of unknown aetiology (DUA) or idiopathic diseases is used to describe diseases that are of uncertain or unknown cause or origin. Among plausible geoenvironmental co-factors in causation of DUA, this article focusses on the entry of trace elements, including metals and metalloids into humans, and their involvement in humoral and cellular immune responses, representing potentially toxic agents with implications as co-factors for certain DUA. Several trace elements/metals/metalloids (micronutrients) play vital roles as co-factors for essential enzymes and antioxidant molecules, thus, conferring protection against disease. However, inborn errors of trace element/metal/metalloid metabolisms can occur to produce toxicity, such as when there are basic defects in the element transport mechanism. Ultimately, it is the amount of trace element, metal or metalloid that is taken up, its mode of accumulation in human tissues, and related geomedical attributes such as the chemical form and bioavailability that decisively determine whether the exerted effects are toxic or beneficial. Several case descriptions of DUA that are common worldwide are given to illustrate our knowledge so far of how trace element/metal/metalloid interactions in the immune system may engender its dysregulation and be implicated as causal co-factors of DUA. Article highlights The importance of a proper understanding of geochemical perturbations in human metabolisms is emphasisedIt is proferred that such an understanding would aid greatly in the decipherment of diseases of unknown aetiology (DUA)The thesis presented may pave the way towards better diagnosis and therapy of DUA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theophilus C. Davies
- Present Address: Faculty of Natural Sciences, Mangosuthu University of Technology, 511 Mangosuthu Highway, 4031, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa
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22
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Lin LZ, Zhan XL, Jin CY, Liang JH, Jing J, Dong GH. The epidemiological evidence linking exposure to ambient particulate matter with neurodevelopmental disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 209:112876. [PMID: 35134379 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.112876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Revised: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There has been increasing attention on the associations between ambient particulate matter (PM) in early-life and neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). However, the associations remained unclear when considering different types of NDDs and different sizes of PM, and vulnerable exposure windows during early-life were not identified yet. OBJECTIVE To synthesize the published literature on the associations between ambient particulate matter (PM) and risk of different types of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) in a systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS A systematic search of Medline, Embase, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science was performed from inception through 24 January 2022. Two reviewers conducted the study selection, data extraction, and quality appraisal. A random-effects model was used for meta-analyses with two quality-of-evidence assessments (the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation system and the best evidence synthesis system). RESULTS A total of 6554 articles were screened, of which 31 were included in the review, and 20 provided adequate data for meta-analyses. Exposures to particulate matter of 2.5 μm or less (PM2.5) during prenatal periods (OR, 1.32 [95%CI, 1.03-1.69]), the first year after birth (OR, 1.62 [95%CI, 1.22-2.15]) and the second year after birth (OR, 3.13 [95%CI, 1.47-6.67]) were associated with increased risk of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in children. The quality of evidence for these associations during early postnatal periods was somewhat moderate with limited studies. We found inconsistent evidence when considering other types of NDDs and different sizes of PM. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Current evidence indicated that there might be an association between PM2.5 exposure and higher risk of ASD, and early postnatal periods appeared to be the critical exposure window. High-quality studies are needed to assess the evidence for other types of NDDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Zi Lin
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Xiao-Ling Zhan
- Research Center of Children and Adolescent Psychological and Behavioral Development, Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Chu-Yao Jin
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Peking University, National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Jing-Hong Liang
- Research Center of Children and Adolescent Psychological and Behavioral Development, Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Jin Jing
- Research Center of Children and Adolescent Psychological and Behavioral Development, Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China.
| | - Guang-Hui Dong
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China.
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23
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Personal Exposure and Inhaled Dose Estimation of Air Pollutants during Travel between Albany, NY and Boston, MA. ATMOSPHERE 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/atmos13030445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/10/2022]
Abstract
Out of eight deaths caused worldwide, one death is caused due to air pollution exposure, making it one of the top global killers. Personal exposure measurement for real-time monitoring has been used for inhaled dose estimation during various modes of workplace commuting. However, dose-exposure studies during long commutes are scarce and more information on inhaled doses is needed. This study focuses on personal exposures to size-fractionated particulate matter (PM1, PM2.5, PM4, PM7, PM10, TSP) and black carbon (BC) inside a bus traveling more than 270 kms on a highway between Albany, NY and Boston, MA. Measurements were also made indoors, outdoors, and while walking in each city. Mean PM (PM1, PM2.5, PM4, PM7, PM10, TSP) and mean BC concentrations were calculated to estimate the inhaled exposure dose. The highest average PM2.5 and PM10 exposures concentrations were 30 ± 12 and 111 ± 193 µg/m3, respectively, during Boston to Albany. Notably, personal exposure to BC on a bus from Albany to Boston (5483 ± 2099 ng/m3) was the highest measured during any commute. The average inhaled dose for PM2.5 during commutes ranged from 0.018 µg/km to 0.371 µg/km. Exposure concentrations in indoor settings (average PM2.5 = 37 ± 55 µg/m3, PM10 = 78 ± 82 µg/m3, BC = 5695 ± 1774 ng/m3) were higher than those in outdoor environments. Carpeted flooring, cooking, and vacuuming all tended to increase the indoor particulate level. A high BC concentration (1583 ± 1004 ng/m3) was measured during walking. Typical concentration profiles in long-haul journeys are presented.
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24
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Hsu YH, Chen CW, Lin YJ, Li CY. Urban-Rural Disparity in the Incidence of Diagnosed Autism Spectrum Disorder in Taiwan: A 10-Year National Birth Cohort Follow-up Study. J Autism Dev Disord 2022; 53:2127-2137. [PMID: 35132529 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-022-05453-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is reportedly more prevalent in urban areas partly because of better accessibility and affordability to healthcare. With universal health insurance coverage in Taiwan, a previous study has shown no urban-rural disparity in the utilization rate of a child's preventive healthcare. Under this circumstance, we followed a birth cohort of 176,273 live births from 2006 to 2015 to detect the differences in ASD incidence between urbanicities. After adjusting for socioeconomic factors, children were 1.28 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.13-1.44) and 1.54 (95% CI: 1.36-1.75) more likely to acquire ASD in satellite and urban areas compared with those in rural areas, respectively. A gradient association between parental educational attainment and ASD incidence was also noted. Greater ASD incidences in more urbanized areas and more advanced educated parents' children were detected under a circumstance with low barriers to healthcare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuu-Hueih Hsu
- Department of Public Health, National Cheng Kung University, No. 138, Shengli Rd., North Dist., Tainan, 704302, Taiwan
| | - Chi-Wen Chen
- College of Nursing, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, No. 155, Sec. 2, Linong St., Taipei, 112, Taiwan
| | - Yuh-Jyh Lin
- Department of Pediatrics, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, No. 138, Shengli Rd., North Dist., Tainan, 704302, Taiwan
| | - Chung-Yi Li
- Department of Public Health, National Cheng Kung University, No. 138, Shengli Rd., North Dist., Tainan, 704302, Taiwan. .,Department of Public Health, College of Public Health, China Medical University, No. 91, Hsueh-Shih Rd., Taichung, 40402, Taiwan. .,Department of Healthcare Administration, College of Medical and Health Science, Asia University, No. 500, Lioufeng Rd., Wufeng, Taichung, 41354, Taiwan.
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25
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Erbescu A, Papuc SM, Budisteanu M, Arghir A, Neagu M. Re-emerging concepts of immune dysregulation in autism spectrum disorders. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:1006612. [PMID: 36339838 PMCID: PMC9626859 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1006612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by communication and social interaction deficits, and by restricted interests and stereotyped, repetitive behavior patterns. ASD has a strong genetic component and a complex architecture characterized by the interplay of rare and common genetic variants. Recently, increasing evidence suggest a significant contribution of immune system dysregulation in ASD. The present paper reviews the latest updates regarding the altered immune landscape of this complex disorder highlighting areas with potential for biomarkers discovery as well as personalization of therapeutic approaches. Cross-talk between the central nervous system and immune system has long been envisaged and recent evidence brings insights into the pathways connecting the brain to the immune system. Disturbance of cytokine levels plays an important role in the establishment of a neuroinflammatory milieu in ASD. Several other immune molecules involved in antigen presentation and inflammatory cellular phenotypes are also at play in ASD. Maternal immune activation, the presence of brain-reactive antibodies and autoimmunity are other potential prenatal and postnatal contributors to ASD pathophysiology. The molecular players involved in oxidative-stress response and mitochondrial system function, are discussed as contributors to the pro-inflammatory pattern. The gastrointestinal inflammation pathways proposed to play a role in ASD are also discussed. Moreover, the body of evidence regarding some of the genetic factors linked to the immune system dysregulation is reviewed and discussed. Last, but not least, the epigenetic traits and their interactions with the immune system are reviewed as an expanding field in ASD research. Understanding the immune-mediated pathways that influence brain development and function, metabolism, and intestinal homeostasis, may lead to the identification of robust diagnostic or predictive biomarkers for ASD individuals. Thus, novel therapeutic approaches could be developed, ultimately aiming to improve their quality of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alina Erbescu
- Victor Babes National Institute of Pathology, Bucharest, Romania.,Faculty of Biology, Doctoral School, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania
| | | | - Magdalena Budisteanu
- Victor Babes National Institute of Pathology, Bucharest, Romania.,Prof. Dr. Alex. Obregia Clinical Hospital of Psychiatry, Bucharest, Romania.,Faculty of Medicine, Titu Maiorescu University, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Aurora Arghir
- Victor Babes National Institute of Pathology, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Monica Neagu
- Victor Babes National Institute of Pathology, Bucharest, Romania.,Faculty of Biology, Doctoral School, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania.,Colentina Clinical Hospital, Bucharest, Romania
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26
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Carter SA, Rahman MM, Lin JC, Shu YH, Chow T, Yu X, Martinez MP, Eckel SP, Chen JC, Chen Z, Schwartz J, Pavlovic N, Lurmann FW, McConnell R, Xiang AH. In utero exposure to near-roadway air pollution and autism spectrum disorder in children. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2022; 158:106898. [PMID: 34627014 PMCID: PMC8688235 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2021] [Revised: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Previous studies have reported associations between in utero exposure to regional air pollution and autism spectrum disorders (ASD). In utero exposure to components of near-roadway air pollution (NRAP) has been linked to adverse neurodevelopment in animal models, but few studies have investigated NRAP association with ASD risk. OBJECTIVE To identify ASD risk associated with in utero exposure to NRAP in a large, representative birth cohort. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This retrospective pregnancy cohort study included 314,391 mother-child pairs of singletons born between 2001 and 2014 at Kaiser Permanente Southern California (KPSC) hospitals. Maternal and child data were extracted from KPSC electronic medical records. Children were followed until: clinical diagnosis of ASD, non-KPSC membership, death, or December 31, 2019, whichever came first. Exposure to the complex NRAP mixture during pregnancy was assessed using line-source dispersion models to estimate fresh vehicle emissions from freeway and non-freeway sources at maternal addresses during pregnancy. Vehicular traffic load exposure was characterized using advanced telematic models combining traditional traffic counts and travel-demand models with cell phone and vehicle GPS data. Cox proportional-hazard models estimated hazard ratios (HR) of ASD associated with near-roadway traffic load and dispersion-modeled NRAP during pregnancy, adjusted for covariates. Non-freeway NRAP was analyzed using quintile distribution due to nonlinear associations with ASD. EXPOSURES Average NRAP and traffic load exposure during pregnancy at maternal residential addresses. MAIN OUTCOMES Clinical diagnosis of ASD. RESULTS A total of 6,291 children (5,114 boys, 1,177 girls) were diagnosed with ASD. The risk of ASD was associated with pregnancy-average exposure to total NRAP [HR(95% CI): 1.03(1.00,1.05) per 5 ppb increase in dispersion-modeled NOx] and to non-freeway NRAP [HR(95% CI) comparing the highest to the lowest quintile: 1.19(1.11, 1.27)]. Total NRAP had a stronger association in boys than in girls, but the association with non-freeway NRAP did not differ by sex. The association of freeway NRAP with ASD risk was not statistically significant. Non-freeway traffic load exposure demonstrated associations with ASD consistent with those of NRAP and ASD. CONCLUSIONS In utero exposure to near-roadway air pollution, particularly from non-freeway sources, may increase ASD risk in children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah A Carter
- Department of Research & Evaluation, Kaiser Permanente Southern California, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Md Mostafijur Rahman
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jane C Lin
- Department of Research & Evaluation, Kaiser Permanente Southern California, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Yu-Hsiang Shu
- Department of Research & Evaluation, Kaiser Permanente Southern California, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Ting Chow
- Department of Research & Evaluation, Kaiser Permanente Southern California, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Xin Yu
- Spatial Science Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Mayra P Martinez
- Department of Research & Evaluation, Kaiser Permanente Southern California, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Sandrah P Eckel
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jiu-Chiuan Chen
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Zhanghua Chen
- Department of Preventive Medicine, 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; Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | | | - Rob McConnell
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Anny H Xiang
- Department of Research & Evaluation, Kaiser Permanente Southern California, Pasadena, CA, USA.
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27
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Raz R, Oulhote Y. Invited Perspective: Air Pollution and Autism Spectrum Disorder: Are We There Yet? ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2022; 130:11303. [PMID: 35040692 PMCID: PMC8765362 DOI: 10.1289/ehp10617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Revised: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Raanan Raz
- Braun School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem–Hadassah, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Youssef Oulhote
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health & Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
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28
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Assessing Health Impacts of Winter Smog in Lahore for Exposed Occupational Groups. ATMOSPHERE 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/atmos12111532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The goal of this research was to investigate the health effects of winter pollution on various occupations in Lahore and its neighboring peri-urban areas. A questionnaire survey, key informants, and focused group discussions were employed to collect data, which included demographic, socioeconomic, and health-related information. Descriptive statistics and the multivariate logistic regression model (MLRM) were used to examine the effects of pollution on exposed occupational groups who experienced symptoms such as coughing, shortness of breath, and eye discomfort. According to data from interviews, MLRM revealed that individuals working in various occupations with outdoor and indoor environments are equally affected by winter smog, but being middle-aged (odds ratio OR = 5.73), having a history of a respiratory ailment (OR = 4.06), and location (OR = 2.26) all play important roles in determining health. However, less educated people, elders, and people who already live in polluted areas are more likely to develop respiratory health symptoms. During the smog incident, it was determined that diverse health and socioeconomic factors exacerbate an individual’s negative health impact more than others.
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29
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Wang SY, Cheng YY, Guo HR, Tseng YC. Air Pollution during Pregnancy and Childhood Autism Spectrum Disorder in Taiwan. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18189784. [PMID: 34574710 PMCID: PMC8467611 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18189784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Revised: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Air pollutants have been linked to some diseases in humans, but their effects on the nervous system were less frequently evaluated. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a group of neurondevelopmental disorders of which the etiology is still unknown. We conducted a study in Taiwan to evaluate the possible associations between prenatal exposure to air pollutants and ASD. From a random sample of one million people in the National Insurance Research Database, we identified all the infants born between 1996 and 2000. We followed them till the end of 2013 and identified cases of ASD. We traced back the mothers’ residence and assessed the exposure to air pollutants using the data obtained from the air quality monitoring database maintained by the government, which included ozone (O3), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and particulate matters with diameter less than 10 µm (PM10). Cox proportional hazard models were constructed to evaluate the associations between childhood ASD and exposures to the pollutants in the three trimesters and the whole gestation. We identified a total of 63,376 newborns and included 62,919 as the study cohort. After adjusting for other risk factors, we observed trimester-specific associations between levels of CO, NO2, and PM10 and the risk of childhood ASD. An increase of 1 ppm of CO in the first, second, and third trimester was associated with a hazard ratio (HR) of 1.93 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.55–2.39), 1.77 (95%CI: 1.41–2.22), and 1.75 (95%CI: 1.39–2.21), respectively. An increase of 10 ppb in the level of NO2 in the first, second, and third trimester was associated with an HR of 1.39 (95%CI: 1.22–1.58), 1.25 (95%CI: 1.10–1.42), and 1.18 (95%CI: 1.03–1.34), respectively. In conclusion, we found that exposures to CO and NO2 in all three trimesters were associated with increased risks of developing ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu-Yuan Wang
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, College of Medical, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 704, Taiwan; (S.-Y.W.); (Y.-Y.C.); (H.-R.G.)
| | - Ya-Yun Cheng
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, College of Medical, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 704, Taiwan; (S.-Y.W.); (Y.-Y.C.); (H.-R.G.)
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard University T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - How-Ran Guo
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, College of Medical, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 704, Taiwan; (S.-Y.W.); (Y.-Y.C.); (H.-R.G.)
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Tainan 704, Taiwan
| | - Yen-Cheng Tseng
- Department of Tourism, Food, and Beverage Management, College of Management, Chang Jung Christian University, Tainan 711, Taiwan
- Correspondence:
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30
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Anashkina AA, Erlykina EI. Molecular Mechanisms of Aberrant Neuroplasticity in Autism Spectrum Disorders (Review). Sovrem Tekhnologii Med 2021; 13:78-91. [PMID: 34513070 PMCID: PMC8353687 DOI: 10.17691/stm2021.13.1.10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
This review presents the analysis and systematization of modern data on the molecular mechanisms of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) development. Polyetiology and the multifactorial nature of ASD have been proved. The attempt has been made to jointly review and systematize current hypotheses of ASD pathogenesis at the molecular level from the standpoint of aberrant brain plasticity. The mechanism of glutamate excitotoxicity formation, the effect of imbalance of neuroactive amino acids and their derivatives, neurotransmitters, and hormones on the ASD formation have been considered in detail. The strengths and weaknesses of the proposed hypotheses have been analyzed from the standpoint of evidence-based medicine. The conclusion has been drawn on the leading role of glutamate excitotoxicity as a biochemical mechanism of aberrant neuroplasticity accompanied by oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. The mechanism of aberrant neuroplasticity has also been traced at the critical moments of the nervous system development taking into account the influence of various factors of the internal and external environment. New approaches to searching for ASD molecular markers have been considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- A A Anashkina
- Senior Teacher, Department of Biochemistry named after G.Y. Gorodisskaya; Senior Researcher, Central Scientific Research Laboratory, Privolzhsky Research Medical University, 10/1 Minin and Pozharsky Square, Nizhny Novgorod, 603005, Russia
| | - E I Erlykina
- Professor, Head of the Department of Biochemistry named after G.Y. Gorodisskaya, Privolzhsky Research Medical University, 10/1 Minin and Pozharsky Square, Nizhny Novgorod, 603005, Russia
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31
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Lin SY, Yang YC, Lin CC, Chang CYY, Hsu WH, Wang IK, Lin CD, Hsu CY, Kao CH. Increased Incidence of Dysmenorrhea in Women Exposed to Higher Concentrations of NO, NO 2, NO x, CO, and PM 2.5: A Nationwide Population-Based Study. Front Public Health 2021; 9:682341. [PMID: 34222182 PMCID: PMC8247898 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.682341] [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: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Air pollution is speculated to affect the reproductive health of women. However, a longitudinal association between exposure to air pollution and dysmenorrhea has not been identified, which this study aimed to examine this point. Methods: Two nationwide databases, namely the Taiwan Air Quality Monitoring database and the Taiwan National Health Research Institutes database were linked. Women with a history of dysmenorrhea (International Classification of Disease, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification code 625.3) before 2000 were excluded. All participants were followed from January 1, 2000 until the diagnosis of dysmenorrhea, withdrawal from National Health Insurance, or December 31, 2013. Furthermore, air pollutants were categorized into quartiles with three cut-off points (25th, 50th, and 75th percentiles). The Cox regression model was used to calculate the hazard ratios of dysmenorrhea. Results: This study enrolled 296,078 women. The mean concentrations of yearly air pollutants were 28.2 (±12.6) ppb for nitric oxides (NOx), 8.91 (±7.93) ppb for nitric oxide (NO), 19.3 (±5.49) ppb for nitrogen dioxide (NO2), 0.54 (±0.18) ppm for carbon monoxide (CO), and 31.8 (±6.80) μg/m3 for PM2.5. In total, 12,514 individuals developed dysmenorrhea during the 12-year follow-up. Relative to women exposed to Q1 concentrations of NOx, women exposed to Q4 concentrations exhibited a significantly higher dysmenorrhea risk [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR)= 27.9, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 21.6–31.3]; similarly higher risk was found for exposure to NO (aHR = 16.7, 95% CI = 15.4–18.4) and NO2 (aHR = 33.1, 95% CI = 30.9–37.4). For CO, the relative dysmenorrhea risk in women with Q4 level exposure was 28.7 (95% CI = 25.4–33.6). For PM2.5, women at the Q4 exposure level were 27.6 times (95% CI = 23.1–29.1) more likely to develop dysmenorrhea than those at the Q1 exposure level. Conclusion: Our results showed that women would have higher dysmenorrhea incidences while exposure to high concentrations of NO, NO2, NOx, CO, and PM2.5.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shih-Yi Lin
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Medicine, College of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.,Division of Nephrology and Kidney Institute, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Cih Yang
- Management Office for Health Data, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.,College of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Chieh Lin
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Medicine, College of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.,Department of Family Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Cherry Yin-Yi Chang
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Medicine, College of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.,Department of Gynecology, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Wu-Huei Hsu
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Medicine, College of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.,Department of Chest Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - I-Kuan Wang
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Medicine, College of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.,Division of Nephrology and Kidney Institute, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Der Lin
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Medicine, College of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.,Department Teaching, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.,Department Otolaryngology, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Chung-Y Hsu
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Medicine, College of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Hung Kao
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Medicine, College of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.,Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.,Department of Bioinformatics and Medical Engineering, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan.,Center of Augmented Intelligence in Healthcare, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
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32
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Marazziti D, Cianconi P, Mucci F, Foresi L, Chiarantini I, Della Vecchia A. Climate change, environment pollution, COVID-19 pandemic and mental health. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 773:145182. [PMID: 33940721 PMCID: PMC7825818 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Revised: 01/10/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Converging data would indicate the existence of possible relationships between climate change, environmental pollution and epidemics/pandemics, such as the current one due to SARS-CoV-2 virus. Each of these phenomena has been supposed to provoke detrimental effects on mental health. Therefore, the purpose of this paper was to review the available scientific literature on these variables in order to suggest and comment on their eventual synergistic effects on mental health. The available literature report that climate change, air pollution and COVID-19 pandemic might influence mental health, with disturbances ranging from mild negative emotional responses to full-blown psychiatric conditions, specifically, anxiety and depression, stress/trauma-related disorders, and substance abuse. The most vulnerable groups include elderly, children, women, people with pre-existing health problems especially mental illnesses, subjects taking some types of medication including psychotropic drugs, individuals with low socio-economic status, and immigrants. It is evident that COVID-19 pandemic uncovers all the fragility and weakness of our ecosystem, and inability to protect ourselves from pollutants. Again, it underlines our faults and neglect towards disasters deriving from climate change or pollution, or the consequences of human activities irrespective of natural habitats and constantly increasing the probability of spillover of viruses from animals to humans. In conclusion, the psychological/psychiatric consequences of COVID-19 pandemic, that currently seem unavoidable, represent a sharp cue of our misconception and indifference towards the links between our behaviour and their influence on the "health" of our planet and of ourselves. It is time to move towards a deeper understanding of these relationships, not only for our survival, but for the maintenance of that balance among man, animals and environment at the basis of life in earth, otherwise there will be no future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donatella Marazziti
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Psychiatry, University of Pisa, Italy; UniCamillus - Saint Camillus University of Health Sciences, Rome, Italy
| | - Paolo Cianconi
- Institute of Psychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, Catholic University, Rome, Italy
| | - Federico Mucci
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, Italy; Department of Psychiatry, North-Western Tuscany Region, NHS Local Health Unit, Italy
| | - Lara Foresi
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Psychiatry, University of Pisa, Italy
| | - Ilaria Chiarantini
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Psychiatry, University of Pisa, Italy
| | - Alessandra Della Vecchia
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Psychiatry, University of Pisa, Italy.
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33
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Volk HE, Perera F, Braun JM, Kingsley SL, Gray K, Buckley J, Clougherty JE, Croen LA, Eskenazi B, Herting M, Just AC, Kloog I, Margolis A, McClure LA, Miller R, Levine S, Wright R. Prenatal air pollution exposure and neurodevelopment: A review and blueprint for a harmonized approach within ECHO. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 196:110320. [PMID: 33098817 PMCID: PMC8060371 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.110320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2019] [Revised: 10/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Air pollution exposure is ubiquitous with demonstrated effects on morbidity and mortality. A growing literature suggests that prenatal air pollution exposure impacts neurodevelopment. We posit that the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) program will provide unique opportunities to fill critical knowledge gaps given the wide spatial and temporal variability of ECHO participants. OBJECTIVES We briefly describe current methods for air pollution exposure assessment, summarize existing studies of air pollution and neurodevelopment, and synthesize this information as a basis for recommendations, or a blueprint, for evaluating air pollution effects on neurodevelopmental outcomes in ECHO. METHODS We review peer-reviewed literature on prenatal air pollution exposure and neurodevelopmental outcomes, including autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, intelligence, general cognition, mood, and imaging measures. ECHO meta-data were compiled and evaluated to assess frequency of neurodevelopmental assessments and prenatal and infancy residential address locations. Cohort recruitment locations and enrollment years were summarized to examine potential spatial and temporal variation present in ECHO. DISCUSSION While the literature provides compelling evidence that prenatal air pollution affects neurodevelopment, limitations in spatial and temporal exposure variation exist for current published studies. As >90% of the ECHO cohorts have collected a prenatal or infancy address, application of advanced geographic information systems-based models for common air pollutant exposures may be ideal to address limitations of published research. CONCLUSIONS In ECHO we have the opportunity to pioneer unifying exposure assessment and evaluate effects across multiple periods of development and neurodevelopmental outcomes, setting the standard for evaluation of prenatal air pollution exposures with the goal of improving children's health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather E Volk
- Department of Mental Health and Environmental Health and Engineering, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - Frederica Perera
- Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Joseph M Braun
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | | | - Kimberly Gray
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Jessie Buckley
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering and Epidemiology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jane E Clougherty
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Lisa A Croen
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, CA, USA
| | - Brenda Eskenazi
- Center for Environmental Research and Children's Health, School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Megan Herting
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of USC, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Allan C Just
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Itai Kloog
- Department of Geography and Environmental Development, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Amy Margolis
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Leslie A McClure
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Rachel Miller
- Department of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, The College of Physicians and Surgeons, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sarah Levine
- Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Rosalind Wright
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, And Pediatrics, Institute for Exposomics Research, Kravis Children's Hospital, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
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34
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Lin SY, Yang YC, Su JW, Wang JS, Jiang CC, Hsu CY, Kao CH. Association Between Preeclampsia Risk and Fine Air Pollutants and Acidic Gases: A Cohort Analysis in Taiwan. Front Public Health 2021; 9:617521. [PMID: 33869125 PMCID: PMC8044398 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.617521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Fine air pollutant particles have been reported to be associated with risk of preeclampsia. The association between air pollutant exposure and preeclampsia risk in heavily air polluted Taiwan warrants investigation. Methods: We combined data from Taiwan National Health Insurance (NHI) Research Database (NHIRD) and Taiwan Air Quality Monitoring Database. Women aged 16–55 years were followed from January 1, 2000, until appearance of ICD-9 coding of preeclampsia withdrawal from the NHI program, or December 31, 2013. Daily concentration of NOx, NO, NO2, and CO was calculated by Kriging method. The Cox proportional hazard regression model was used for risk assessment. Results: For NOx, Relative to Quartile [Q] 1 concentrations, the Q2 (adjusted hazard ratio adjusted = 2.20, 95% CI = 1.50–3.22), Q3 (aHR = 7.28, 95% CI = 4.78–11.0), and Q4 (aHR = 23.7, 95% CI = 13.7–41.1) concentrations were associated with a significantly higher preeclampsia or eclampsia risk. Similarly, for NO, relative to Q1 concentrations, the Q2 (aHR = 1.82, 95% CI = 1.26–2.63), Q3 (aHR = 7.53, 95% CI = 5.12–11.0), and Q4 (aHR = 11.1, 95% CI = 6.72–18.3) concentrations were correlated with significantly higher preeclampsia or eclampsia risk. Furthermore, for NO2, relative to Q1 concentration, the Q2 (aHR = 1.99, 95% CI = 1.37–2.90), Q3 (aHR = 6.15, 95% CI = 3.95–9.57), and Q4 (aHR = 32.7, 95% CI = 19.7–54.3) concentrations also associated with a significantly higher preeclampsia or eclampsia risk. Conclusion: Women exposed to higher NOX, NO, NO2, and CO concentrations demonstrated higher preeclampsia incidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shih-Yi Lin
- College of Medicine, Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.,Division of Nephrology and Kidney Institute, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Cih Yang
- Management Office for Health Data, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.,College of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Jun-Wei Su
- College of Medicine, Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.,Department of Gynecology, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Jie-Sian Wang
- College of Medicine, Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.,Division of Nephrology and Kidney Institute, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Chang-Cheng Jiang
- College of Medicine, Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.,Division of Nephrology and Kidney Institute, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Chung-Y Hsu
- College of Medicine, Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Hung Kao
- College of Medicine, Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.,Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.,Department of Bioinformatics and Medical Engineering, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan.,Center of Augmented Intelligence in Healthcare, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
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Abstract
Pollutant agents are exponentially increasing in modern society since industrialization processes and technology are being developed worldwide. Impact of pollution on public health is well known but little has been described on the association between environmental pollutants and mental health. A literature search on PubMed and EMBASE has been conducted and 134 articles published on the issue of pollution and mental health have been included, cited, reviewed, and summarized. Emerging evidences have been collected on association between major environmental pollutants (air pollutants, heavy metals, ionizing radiation [IR], organophosphate pesticides, light pollution, noise pollution, environmental catastrophes) and various mental health disorders including anxiety, mood, and psychotic syndromes. Underlying pathogenesis includes direct and indirect effects of these agents on brain, respectively, due to their biological effect on human Central Nervous System or related to some levels of stress generated by the exposure to the pollutant agents over the time. Most of emerging evidences are still nonconclusive. Further studies should clarify how industrial production, the exploitation of certain resources, the proximity to waste and energy residues, noise, and the change in lifestyles are connected with psychological distress and mental health problems for the affected populations.
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Imbriani G, Panico A, Grassi T, Idolo A, Serio F, Bagordo F, De Filippis G, De Giorgi D, Antonucci G, Piscitelli P, Colangelo M, Peccarisi L, Tumolo MR, De Masi R, Miani A, De Donno A. Early-Life Exposure to Environmental Air Pollution and Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Review of Available Evidence. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18031204. [PMID: 33572907 PMCID: PMC7908547 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18031204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Revised: 01/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The number of children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has rapidly increased globally. Genetic and environmental factors both contribute to the development of ASD. Several studies showed linkage between prenatal, early postnatal air pollution exposure and the risk of developing ASD. We reviewed the available literature concerning the relationship between early-life exposure to air pollutants and ASD onset in childhood. We searched on Medline and Scopus for cohort or case-control studies published in English from 1977 to 2020. A total of 20 articles were selected for the review. We found a strong association between maternal exposure to particulate matter (PM) during pregnancy or in the first years of the children’s life and the risk of the ASD. This association was found to be stronger with PM2.5 and less evident with the other pollutants. Current evidence suggest that pregnancy is the period in which exposure to environmental pollutants seems to be most impactful concerning the onset of ASD in children. Air pollution should be considered among the emerging risk factors for ASD. Further epidemiological and toxicological studies should address molecular pathways involved in the development of ASD and determine specific cause–effect associations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Imbriani
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technology, University of Salento, via Monteroni 165, 73100 Lecce, Italy; (G.I.); (A.P.); (A.I.); (F.S.); (F.B.); (A.D.D.)
| | - Alessandra Panico
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technology, University of Salento, via Monteroni 165, 73100 Lecce, Italy; (G.I.); (A.P.); (A.I.); (F.S.); (F.B.); (A.D.D.)
| | - Tiziana Grassi
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technology, University of Salento, via Monteroni 165, 73100 Lecce, Italy; (G.I.); (A.P.); (A.I.); (F.S.); (F.B.); (A.D.D.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Adele Idolo
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technology, University of Salento, via Monteroni 165, 73100 Lecce, Italy; (G.I.); (A.P.); (A.I.); (F.S.); (F.B.); (A.D.D.)
- Local Health Authority ASL Le, 73100 Lecce, Italy; (G.D.F.); (D.D.G.); (G.A.); (P.P.); (L.P.); (R.D.M.)
| | - Francesca Serio
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technology, University of Salento, via Monteroni 165, 73100 Lecce, Italy; (G.I.); (A.P.); (A.I.); (F.S.); (F.B.); (A.D.D.)
| | - Francesco Bagordo
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technology, University of Salento, via Monteroni 165, 73100 Lecce, Italy; (G.I.); (A.P.); (A.I.); (F.S.); (F.B.); (A.D.D.)
| | - Giovanni De Filippis
- Local Health Authority ASL Le, 73100 Lecce, Italy; (G.D.F.); (D.D.G.); (G.A.); (P.P.); (L.P.); (R.D.M.)
- Medical Professional Association (OMCEO), 73100 Lecce, Italy
| | - Donato De Giorgi
- Local Health Authority ASL Le, 73100 Lecce, Italy; (G.D.F.); (D.D.G.); (G.A.); (P.P.); (L.P.); (R.D.M.)
- Medical Professional Association (OMCEO), 73100 Lecce, Italy
| | - Gianfranco Antonucci
- Local Health Authority ASL Le, 73100 Lecce, Italy; (G.D.F.); (D.D.G.); (G.A.); (P.P.); (L.P.); (R.D.M.)
- Medical Professional Association (OMCEO), 73100 Lecce, Italy
| | - Prisco Piscitelli
- Local Health Authority ASL Le, 73100 Lecce, Italy; (G.D.F.); (D.D.G.); (G.A.); (P.P.); (L.P.); (R.D.M.)
- Medical Professional Association (OMCEO), 73100 Lecce, Italy
| | - Manuela Colangelo
- Italian Association of Health, Environment and Society (AISAS), via De Gasperi 22, Lizzanello, 73023 Lecce, Italy;
| | - Luigi Peccarisi
- Local Health Authority ASL Le, 73100 Lecce, Italy; (G.D.F.); (D.D.G.); (G.A.); (P.P.); (L.P.); (R.D.M.)
- Medical Professional Association (OMCEO), 73100 Lecce, Italy
| | - Maria Rosaria Tumolo
- Research Unit of Brindisi, c/o ex Osp. Di Summa, Institute for Research on Population and Social Policies, National Research Council, Piazza Di Summa, 72100 Brindisi, Italy;
- c/o Campus Ecotekne via Monteroni, Branch of Lecce, Institute of Clinical Physiology, National Research Council, 73100 Lecce, Italy
| | - Roberto De Masi
- Local Health Authority ASL Le, 73100 Lecce, Italy; (G.D.F.); (D.D.G.); (G.A.); (P.P.); (L.P.); (R.D.M.)
- Multiple Sclerosis Centre, Laboratory of Neuroproteomics, “Francesco Ferrari” Hospital, 73042 Casarano, Italy
| | - Alessandro Miani
- Italian Society of Environmental Medicine, 02100 Milan, Italy;
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan, 02100 Milan, Italy
| | - Antonella De Donno
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technology, University of Salento, via Monteroni 165, 73100 Lecce, Italy; (G.I.); (A.P.); (A.I.); (F.S.); (F.B.); (A.D.D.)
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Air Pollution-Related Brain Metal Dyshomeostasis as a Potential Risk Factor for Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Neurodegenerative Diseases. ATMOSPHERE 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/atmos11101098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Increasing evidence links air pollution (AP) exposure to effects on the central nervous system structure and function. Particulate matter AP, especially the ultrafine (nanoparticle) components, can carry numerous metal and trace element contaminants that can reach the brain in utero and after birth. Excess brain exposure to either essential or non-essential elements can result in brain dyshomeostasis, which has been implicated in both neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs; autism spectrum disorder, schizophrenia, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) and neurodegenerative diseases (NDGDs; Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis). This review summarizes the current understanding of the extent to which the inhalational or intranasal instillation of metals reproduces in vivo the shared features of NDDs and NDGDs, including enlarged lateral ventricles, alterations in myelination, glutamatergic dysfunction, neuronal cell death, inflammation, microglial activation, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, altered social behaviors, cognitive dysfunction, and impulsivity. Although evidence is limited to date, neuronal cell death, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction are reproduced by numerous metals. Understanding the specific contribution of metals/trace elements to this neurotoxicity can guide the development of more realistic animal exposure models of human AP exposure and consequently lead to a more meaningful approach to mechanistic studies, potential intervention strategies, and regulatory requirements.
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Dutheil F, Comptour A, Mermillod M, Pereira B, Clinchamps M, Charkhabi M, Baker JS, Bourdel N. Letter to the Editor: Comment on "Maternal exposure to air pollution and risk of autism in children: A systematic review and meta-analysis". ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2020; 264:114724. [PMID: 32559872 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.114724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2020] [Revised: 04/29/2020] [Accepted: 05/01/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Comment on "Maternal exposure to air pollution and risk of autism in children: A systematic review and meta-analysis". Some points and/or limitations of their review and meta-analysis should be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frédéric Dutheil
- Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, LaPSCo, Physiological and Psychosocial Stress, University Hospital of Clermont-Ferrand, CHU Clermont-Ferrand, Occupational and Environmental Medicine, WittyFit, Clermont-Ferrand, France.
| | - Aurélie Comptour
- INSERM, CIC 1405 Unité CRECHE, University Hospital of Clermont-Ferrand, CHU Clermont-Ferrand, Gynecology, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Martial Mermillod
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, LPNC, Grenoble, France; Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France
| | - Bruno Pereira
- CHU Clermont-Ferrand, University Hospital of Clermont-Ferrand, Biostatistics Unit, The Clinical Research and Innovation Direction, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Maelys Clinchamps
- Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, LaPSCo, Physiological and Psychosocial Stress, University Hospital of Clermont-Ferrand, CHU Clermont-Ferrand, Occupational and Environmental Medicine, WittyFit, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Morteza Charkhabi
- Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, LaPSCo, Physiological and Psychosocial Stress, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Julien S Baker
- Centre for Health and Exercise Science Research, Department of Sport, Physical Education and Health, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong
| | - Nicolas Bourdel
- INSERM, CIC 1405 Unité CRECHE, University Hospital of Clermont-Ferrand, CHU Clermont-Ferrand, Gynecology, Clermont-Ferrand, France
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Berg EL, Pedersen LR, Pride MC, Petkova SP, Patten KT, Valenzuela AE, Wallis C, Bein KJ, Wexler A, Lein PJ, Silverman JL. Developmental exposure to near roadway pollution produces behavioral phenotypes relevant to neurodevelopmental disorders in juvenile rats. Transl Psychiatry 2020; 10:289. [PMID: 32807767 PMCID: PMC7431542 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-020-00978-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2020] [Revised: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Epidemiological studies consistently implicate traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) and/or proximity to heavily trafficked roads as risk factors for developmental delays and neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs); however, there are limited preclinical data demonstrating a causal relationship. To test the effects of TRAP, pregnant rat dams were transported to a vivarium adjacent to a major freeway tunnel system in northern California where they were exposed to TRAP drawn directly from the face of the tunnel or filtered air (FA). Offspring remained housed under the exposure condition into which they were born and were tested in a variety of behavioral assays between postnatal day 4 and 50. To assess the effects of near roadway exposure, offspring of dams housed in a standard research vivarium were tested at the laboratory. An additional group of dams was transported halfway to the facility and then back to the laboratory to control for the effect of potential transport stress. Near roadway exposure delayed growth and development of psychomotor reflexes and elicited abnormal activity in open field locomotion. Near roadway exposure also reduced isolation-induced 40-kHz pup ultrasonic vocalizations, with the TRAP group having the lowest number of call emissions. TRAP affected some components of social communication, evidenced by reduced neonatal pup ultrasonic calling and altered juvenile reciprocal social interactions. These findings confirm that living in close proximity to highly trafficked roadways during early life alters neurodevelopment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth L. Berg
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684MIND Institute and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA USA
| | - Lauren R. Pedersen
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684MIND Institute and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA USA
| | - Michael C. Pride
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684MIND Institute and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA USA
| | - Stela P. Petkova
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684MIND Institute and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA USA
| | - Kelley T. Patten
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of California Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, Davis, CA USA
| | - Anthony E. Valenzuela
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of California Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, Davis, CA USA
| | - Christopher Wallis
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684Air Quality Research Center, University of California Davis, Davis, CA USA
| | - Keith J. Bein
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684Air Quality Research Center, University of California Davis, Davis, CA USA
| | - Anthony Wexler
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684Air Quality Research Center, University of California Davis, Davis, CA USA
| | - Pamela J. Lein
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of California Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, Davis, CA USA
| | - Jill L. Silverman
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684MIND Institute and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA USA
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Rittner R, Flanagan E, Oudin A, Malmqvist E. Health Impacts from Ambient Particle Exposure in Southern Sweden. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17145064. [PMID: 32674378 PMCID: PMC7400131 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17145064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Revised: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
A health impact assessment (HIA) is an important tool for making informed decisions regarding the design and evaluation of environmental interventions. In this study, we performed a quantitative HIA for the population of Scania (1,247,993), the southernmost county in Sweden, in 2016. The impact of annual mean concentrations of particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter <2.5 µm (PM2.5), modeled at their home residences for the year 2011, on mortality, asthma, dementia, autism spectrum disorders, preeclampsia and low birth weight (LBW) was explored. Concentration–response (C-R) functions were taken from epidemiological studies reporting meta-analyses when available, and otherwise from single epidemiological studies. The average level of PM2.5 experienced by the study population was 11.88 µg/m3. The PM2.5 exposure was estimated to cause 9–11% of cases of LBW and 6% of deaths from natural causes. Locally produced PM2.5 alone contributed to 2–9% of the cases of diseases and disorders investigated. Reducing concentrations to a maximum of 10 µg/m3 would, according to our estimations, reduce mortality by 3% and reduce cases of LBW by 2%. Further analyses of separate emission sources’ distinct effects were also presented. Reduction of air pollution levels in the study area would, as expected, have a substantial effect on both mortality and adverse health outcomes. Reductions should be aimed for by local authorities and on national and even international levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ralf Rittner
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Health, Lund University, 221 00 Lund, Sweden; (E.F.); (A.O.); (E.M.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +46-4617-3189
| | - Erin Flanagan
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Health, Lund University, 221 00 Lund, Sweden; (E.F.); (A.O.); (E.M.)
| | - Anna Oudin
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Health, Lund University, 221 00 Lund, Sweden; (E.F.); (A.O.); (E.M.)
- Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Ebba Malmqvist
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Health, Lund University, 221 00 Lund, Sweden; (E.F.); (A.O.); (E.M.)
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Hahad O, Lelieveld J, Birklein F, Lieb K, Daiber A, Münzel T. Ambient Air Pollution Increases the Risk of Cerebrovascular and Neuropsychiatric Disorders through Induction of Inflammation and Oxidative Stress. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21124306. [PMID: 32560306 PMCID: PMC7352229 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21124306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 165] [Impact Index Per Article: 41.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Revised: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 06/10/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Exposure to ambient air pollution is a well-established determinant of health and disease. The Lancet Commission on pollution and health concludes that air pollution is the leading environmental cause of global disease and premature death. Indeed, there is a growing body of evidence that links air pollution not only to adverse cardiorespiratory effects but also to increased risk of cerebrovascular and neuropsychiatric disorders. Despite being a relatively new area of investigation, overall, there is mounting recent evidence showing that exposure to multiple air pollutants, in particular to fine particles, may affect the central nervous system (CNS) and brain health, thereby contributing to increased risk of stroke, dementia, Parkinson's disease, cognitive dysfunction, neurodevelopmental disorders, depression and other related conditions. The underlying molecular mechanisms of susceptibility and disease remain largely elusive. However, emerging evidence suggests inflammation and oxidative stress to be crucial factors in the pathogenesis of air pollution-induced disorders, driven by the enhanced production of proinflammatory mediators and reactive oxygen species in response to exposure to various air pollutants. From a public health perspective, mitigation measures are urgent to reduce the burden of disease and premature mortality from ambient air pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omar Hahad
- Center for Cardiology–Cardiology I, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, 55131 Mainz, Germany;
- German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Rhine-Main, 55131 Mainz, Germany
| | - Jos Lelieveld
- Atmospheric Chemistry Department, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, 55128 Mainz, Germany;
- Climate and Atmosphere Research Center, The Cyprus Institute, Nicosia 1645, Cyprus
| | - Frank Birklein
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, 55131 Mainz, Germany;
| | - Klaus Lieb
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, 55131 Mainz, Germany;
- Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research, 55122 Mainz, Germany
| | - Andreas Daiber
- Center for Cardiology–Cardiology I, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, 55131 Mainz, Germany;
- German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Rhine-Main, 55131 Mainz, Germany
- Correspondence: (A.D.); (T.M.); Tel.: +49-(0)6131-176280 (A.D.); +49-(0)6131-177251 (T.M.)
| | - Thomas Münzel
- Center for Cardiology–Cardiology I, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, 55131 Mainz, Germany;
- German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Rhine-Main, 55131 Mainz, Germany
- Correspondence: (A.D.); (T.M.); Tel.: +49-(0)6131-176280 (A.D.); +49-(0)6131-177251 (T.M.)
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Costa LG, Cole TB, Dao K, Chang YC, Coburn J, Garrick JM. Effects of air pollution on the nervous system and its possible role in neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders. Pharmacol Ther 2020; 210:107523. [PMID: 32165138 PMCID: PMC7245732 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2020.107523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 181] [Impact Index Per Article: 45.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2019] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Recent extensive evidence indicates that air pollution, in addition to causing respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, may also negatively affect the brain and contribute to central nervous system diseases. Air pollution is comprised of ambient particulate matter (PM) of different sizes, gases, organic compounds, and metals. An important contributor to PM is represented by traffic-related air pollution, mostly ascribed to diesel exhaust (DE). Epidemiological and animal studies have shown that exposure to air pollution may be associated with multiple adverse effects on the central nervous system. In addition to a variety of behavioral abnormalities, the most prominent effects caused by air pollution are oxidative stress and neuro-inflammation, which are seen in both humans and animals, and are supported by in vitro studies. Among factors which can affect neurotoxic outcomes, age is considered most relevant. Human and animal studies suggest that air pollution may cause developmental neurotoxicity, and may contribute to the etiology of neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder. In addition, air pollution exposure has been associated with increased expression of markers of neurodegenerative disease pathologies, such as alpha-synuclein or beta-amyloid, and may thus contribute to the etiopathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucio G Costa
- Dept. of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Dept. of Medicine & Surgery, University of Parma, Italy.
| | - Toby B Cole
- Dept. of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Center on Human Development and Disability, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Khoi Dao
- Dept. of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Yu-Chi Chang
- Dept. of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Jacki Coburn
- Dept. of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Jacqueline M Garrick
- Dept. of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
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Yan W, Yue H, Ji X, Li G, Sang N. Prenatal NO 2 exposure and neurodevelopmental disorders in offspring mice: Transcriptomics reveals sex-dependent changes in cerebral gene expression. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2020; 138:105659. [PMID: 32203807 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.105659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2019] [Revised: 03/05/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2020] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Early-life exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is associated with an increased risk of developing a neurodevelopmental disorder during childhood or later in life. OBJECTIVES We investigated whether prenatal NO2 inhalation causes neurodevelopmental abnormalities and cognitive deficits in weanling offspring without subsequent postnatal NO2 exposure and how this prenatal exposure contributes to postnatal consequences. METHODS Pregnant C57BL/6 mice were exposed to air or NO2 (2.5 ppm, 5 h/day) throughout gestation, and the offspring were sacrificed on postnatal days (PNDs) 1, 7, 14 and 21. We determined the mRNA profiles of different postnatal developmental windows, detected the long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) profiles and cognitive function in weanling offspring, and analyzed the effects of hub lncRNAs on differentially expressed genes (DEGs). RESULTS Prenatal NO2 inhalation significantly impaired cognitive function in the weanling male, but not female, offspring. The male-specific response was coupled with abnormal neuropathologies and transcriptional profiles in the cortex during different postnatal developmental windows. Consistently, Gene Ontology (GO) analysis of the DEGs revealed persistent disruptions in neurodevelopment-associated biological processes and cellular components in the male offspring, and Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) was one of key factors contributing to prenatal exposure-induced male-specific neurological dysfunction. In addition, distinct sex-dependent lncRNA expression was identified in the weanling offspring, and metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (Malat1) acted as a hub lncRNA and was coexpressed with most coding genes in the lncRNA-mRNA coexpressed pairs in the male offspring. Importantly, lncRNA Malat1 expression was elevated, and Malat1 modulated ApoE expression through NF-κB activation during this process. CONCLUSIONS Prenatal NO2 exposure is related to sex-dependent neurocognitive deficits and transcriptomic profile changes in the cortices of the prenatally exposed offspring. Male-specific neurological dysfunction is associated with the constant alteration of genes during postnatal neurodevelopment and their transcriptional modulation by hub lncRNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Yan
- College of Environment and Resource, Research Center of Environment and Health, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030006, China
| | - Huifeng Yue
- College of Environment and Resource, Research Center of Environment and Health, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030006, China
| | - Xiaotong Ji
- College of Environment and Resource, Research Center of Environment and Health, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030006, China
| | - Guangke Li
- College of Environment and Resource, Research Center of Environment and Health, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030006, China
| | - Nan Sang
- College of Environment and Resource, Research Center of Environment and Health, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030006, China.
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Sehovic E, Spahic L, Smajlovic-Skenderagic L, Pistoljevic N, Dzanko E, Hajdarpasic A. Identification of developmental disorders including autism spectrum disorder using salivary miRNAs in children from Bosnia and Herzegovina. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0232351. [PMID: 32353026 PMCID: PMC7192422 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0232351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2019] [Accepted: 04/14/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by major social, communication and behavioural challenges. The cause of ASD is still unclear and it is assumed that environmental, genetic and epigenetic factors influence the risk of ASD occurrence. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short 21-25 nucleotide long RNA molecules which post-transcriptionally regulate gene expression. MiRNAs play an important role in central nervous system development; therefore, dysregulation of miRNAs is connected to changes in behaviour and cognition observed in many disorders including ASD. Based on previously published work, on diagnosing ASD using miRNAs, we hypothesized that miRNAs can be used as biomarkers in children with suspected developmental disorders (DD) including ASD within Bosnian-Herzegovinian (B&H) population. 14 selected miRNAs were tested on saliva of children with suspected developmental disorders including ASD. The method of choice was qRT-PCR as a relatively cheap method available in most diagnostic laboratories in low to mid-income countries (LMIC). Out of 14 analysed miRNAs, 6 were differentially expressed between typically developing children and children with some type of developmental disorder including autism spectrum disorder. Using the most optimal logistic regression, we were able to distinguish between ASD and typically developing (TD) children. We have found 5 miRNAs as potential biomarkers. From those, 3 were differentially expressed within the ASD cohort. All 5 miRNAs had shown good chi-square statistics within the logistic regression performed on all 14 analysed miRNAs. The accuracy of 5-miRNAs model training set was 90.2%, while the validation set had a 90% accuracy. This study has shown that miRNAs may be considered as biomarkers for ASD detection and may be used to identify children with ASD along with standard developmental screening tests. By combining these methods we may be able to reach a reliable and accessible diagnostic model for children with ASD in LMIC such as B&H.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emir Sehovic
- Genetics and Bioengineering, International Burch University, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
| | - Lemana Spahic
- Genetics and Bioengineering, International Burch University, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
| | | | | | - Eldin Dzanko
- Education for All (EDUS), Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
| | - Aida Hajdarpasic
- Department of Medical Biology, Sarajevo Medical School, Sarajevo School of Science and Technology, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
- * E-mail:
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Chun H, Leung C, Wen SW, McDonald J, Shin HH. Maternal exposure to air pollution and risk of autism in children: A systematic review and meta-analysis. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2020; 256:113307. [PMID: 31733973 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.113307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2019] [Revised: 08/22/2019] [Accepted: 09/24/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The number of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been increasing. Previous studies suggested potential association between pregnancy air pollution exposure and ASD. This systematic review and meta-analysis is intended to summarize the association between maternal exposure to outdoor air pollution and ASD in children by trimester based on recent studies. METHODS A systematic literature search in 3 databases (Medline, Embase, and Web of Science) was performed using subject headings related to ASD and air pollution since 2007. Eligible studies were screened and evaluated based on predetermined criteria. For meta-analyses, the studies were grouped by air pollutant and exposure time (prenatal period and trimesters). Within-group studies were standardized by log odds ratio (OR) and then combined by three meta-analysis methods: frequentist fixed and random effects models, and Bayesian random effects model. RESULTS Initial search identified 1564 papers, of which 25 studies remained for final analysis after duplicates and ineligible studies were removed. Of the 25 studies, 13, 14, 12, and 7 studies investigated ASD in children associated with PM2.5, PM10, NO2, and ozone, respectively. The frequentist and Bayesian random effects models resulted in different statistical significance. For prenatal period, frequentist meta-analysis returned significant pooled ORs with 95% confidence intervals, 1.06(1.01,1.11) for PM2.5 and 1.02(1.01,1.04) for NO2, whereas Bayesian meta-analysis showed similar ORs with wider 95% posterior intervals, 1.06(1.00,1.13) for PM2.5 and 1.02(1.00,1.05) for NO2. Third trimester appeared to have higher pooled ORs for PM2.5, PM10, and ozone, but patterns in the time-varying associations over the trimester were inconsistent. CONCLUSIONS For positive association between maternal exposure to ambient air pollution and ASD in children, there is some evidence for PM2.5, weak evidence for NO2 and little evidence for PM10 and ozone. However, patterns in associations over trimesters were inconsistent among studies and among air pollutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- HeeKyoung Chun
- Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, GA, USA
| | - Cheryl Leung
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Newborn Care, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Shi Wu Wen
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Newborn Care, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada; Ottawa Hospital Research Institute Clinical Epidemiology, Ottawa, ON, Canada; School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Judy McDonald
- McLaughlin Centre for Population Health Risk Assessment, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Hwashin H Shin
- Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada; Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada.
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Oudin A, Frondelius K, Haglund N, Källén K, Forsberg B, Gustafsson P, Malmqvist E. Prenatal exposure to air pollution as a potential risk factor for autism and ADHD. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2019; 133:105149. [PMID: 31629172 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2019.105149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2019] [Revised: 08/20/2019] [Accepted: 09/02/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Genetic and environmental factors both contribute to the development of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). One suggested environmental risk factor for ASD and ADHD is air pollution, but knowledge of its effects, especially in low-exposure areas, are limited. Here, we investigate risks for ASD and ADHD associated with prenatal exposure to air pollution in an area with air pollution levels generally well below World Health Organization (WHO) air quality guidelines. We used an epidemiological database (MAPSS) consisting of virtually all (99%) children born between 1999 and 2009 (48,571 births) in the study area, in southern Sweden. MAPSS consists of data on modelled nitrogen oxide (NOx) levels derived from a Gaussian dispersion model; maternal residency during pregnancy; perinatal factors collected from a regional birth registry; and socio-economic factors extracted from Statistics Sweden. All ASD and ADHD diagnoses in our data were undertaken at the Malmö and Lund Departments of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, using standardized diagnostic instruments. We used logistic regression analyses to obtain estimates of the risk of developing ASD and ADHD associated with different air pollution levels, with adjustments for potential perinatal and socio-economic confounders. In this longitudinal cohort study, we found associations between air pollution exposure during the prenatal period and and the risk of developing ASD. For example, an adjusted Odds Ratio (OR) of 1.40 and its 95% Confidence Interval (CI) (95% CI: 1.02-1.93) were found when comparing the fourth with the first quartile of NOx exposure. We did not find similar associations on the risk of developing ADHD. This study contributes to the growing evidence of a link between prenatal exposure to air pollution and autism spectrum disorders, suggesting that prenatal exposure even below current WHO air quality guidelines may increase the risk of autism spectrum disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Oudin
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Sweden; Section of Sustainable Health, Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umeå University, Sweden
| | - Kasper Frondelius
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Sweden
| | - Nils Haglund
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Sweden
| | - Karin Källén
- Centre of Reproduction Epidemiology, Tornblad Institute, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Sweden
| | - Bertil Forsberg
- Section of Sustainable Health, Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umeå University, Sweden
| | - Peik Gustafsson
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Sweden
| | - Ebba Malmqvist
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Sweden.
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Costa LG, Cole TB, Dao K, Chang YC, Garrick JM. Developmental impact of air pollution on brain function. Neurochem Int 2019; 131:104580. [PMID: 31626830 PMCID: PMC6892600 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2019.104580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2019] [Revised: 09/25/2019] [Accepted: 10/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Air pollution is an important contributor to the global burden of disease, particularly to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. In recent years, evidence is accumulating that air pollution may adversely affect the nervous system as shown by human epidemiological studies and by animal models. Age appears to play a relevant role in air pollution-induced neurotoxicity, with growing evidence suggesting that air pollution may contribute to neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases. Traffic-related air pollution (e.g. diesel exhaust) is an important contributor to urban air pollution, and fine and ultrafine particulate matter (PM) may possibly be its more relevant component. Air pollution is associated with increased oxidative stress and inflammation both in the periphery and in the nervous system, and fine and ultrafine PM can directly access the central nervous system. This short review focuses on the adverse effects of air pollution on the developing brain; it discusses some characteristics that make the developing brain more susceptible to toxic effects, and summarizes the animal and human evidence suggesting that exposure to elevated air pollution is associated with a number of behavioral and biochemical adverse effects. It also discusses more in detail the emerging evidence of an association between perinatal exposure to air pollution and increased risk of autism spectrum disorder. Some of the common mechanisms that may underlie the neurotoxicity and developmental neurotoxicity of air pollution are also discussed. Considering the evidence presented in this review, any policy and legislative effort aimed at reducing air pollution would be protective of children's well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucio G Costa
- Dept. of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Dept. of Medicine & Surgery, University of Parma, Italy.
| | - Toby B Cole
- Dept. of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Center on Human Development and Disability, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Khoi Dao
- Dept. of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Yu-Chi Chang
- Dept. of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Jacqueline M Garrick
- Dept. of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
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Jo H, Eckel SP, Chen JC, Cockburn M, Martinez MP, Chow T, Lurmann FW, Funk WE, Xiang AH, McConnell R. Gestational diabetes mellitus, prenatal air pollution exposure, and autism spectrum disorder. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2019; 133:105110. [PMID: 31610366 PMCID: PMC7250244 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2019.105110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2019] [Revised: 08/10/2019] [Accepted: 08/19/2019] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ambient air pollution and maternal diabetes may affect common biological pathways underlying adverse neurodevelopmental effects. However, joint effects of maternal diabetes and air pollution on autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have not been studied. OBJECTIVE We evaluated whether prenatal and early-life air pollution exposure interacts with maternal diabetes status to affect ASD risk. METHODS This retrospective cohort study included 246,420 singleton children born in Kaiser Permanente Southern California hospitals in 1999-2009. Children were followed from birth until age 5, during which 2471 ASD cases were diagnosed. Ozone (O3), particulate matter < 2.5 μm (PM2.5) and <10 μm in aerodynamic diameter, and nitrogen dioxide measured at regulatory air monitoring stations were interpolated to estimate exposures during preconception and each pregnancy trimester, and first year of life at each child's birth address. Hazard ratios (HRs) for ASD were estimated adjusting for birth year, KPSC service areas, and relevant maternal and child characteristics. For each exposure window, interactions were tested between pollutants and a 4-category maternal diabetes variable (none, GDM ≥ 24 and <24 weeks' gestation, and pre-existing type 2 diabetes). For an exposure window with statistically significant global interaction between pollutant and diabetes (p < 0.05), pollutant-associated HRs were estimated separately for each category of maternal diabetes. RESULTS There were associations of ASD with preconception, first and third trimesters, and first year of life PM2.5, but not with other pollutants. There were, however, interactions of maternal diabetes with first trimester and first year of life O3. Increased ASD risk was associated with first trimester O3 among mothers with GDM < 24 weeks' gestation [adjusted HR 1.50 per 15.7 ppb O3 (95% CI: 1.08-2.09)]. No O3 associations with ASD were observed in other categories of maternal diabetes. CONCLUSIONS GDM onset early in pregnancy may increase children's susceptibility to prenatal O3-associated ASD risk. These novel findings merit further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heejoo Jo
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America; Department of Research & Evaluation, Kaiser Permanente Southern California, Pasadena, CA, United States of America
| | - Sandrah P Eckel
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
| | - Jiu-Chiuan Chen
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
| | - Myles Cockburn
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America; Department of Epidemiology, University of Colorado School of Public Health, United States of America
| | - Mayra P Martinez
- Department of Research & Evaluation, Kaiser Permanente Southern California, Pasadena, CA, United States of America
| | - Ting Chow
- Department of Research & Evaluation, Kaiser Permanente Southern California, Pasadena, CA, United States of America
| | | | - William E Funk
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States of America
| | - Anny H Xiang
- Department of Research & Evaluation, Kaiser Permanente Southern California, Pasadena, CA, United States of America
| | - Rob McConnell
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America.
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Cory-Slechta DA, Sobolewski M, Marvin E, Conrad K, Merrill A, Anderson T, Jackson BP, Oberdorster G. The Impact of Inhaled Ambient Ultrafine Particulate Matter on Developing Brain: Potential Importance of Elemental Contaminants. Toxicol Pathol 2019; 47:976-992. [PMID: 31610749 DOI: 10.1177/0192623319878400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Epidemiological studies report associations between air pollution (AP) exposures and several neurodevelopmental disorders including autism, attention deficit disorder, and cognitive delays. Our studies in mice of postnatal (human third trimester brain equivalent) exposures to concentrated ambient ultrafine particles (CAPs) provide biological plausibility for these associations, producing numerous neuropathological and behavioral features of these disorders, including male-biased vulnerability. These findings raise questions about the specific components of AP that underlie its neurotoxicity, which our studies suggest could involve trace elements as candidate neurotoxicants. X-ray fluorescence analyses of CAP chamber filters confirm contamination of AP exposures by multiple elements, including iron (Fe) and sulfur (S). Correspondingly, laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry of brains of male mice indicates marked postexposure elevations of Fe and S and other elements. Elevations of brain Fe and S in particular are consistent with potential ferroptotic, oxidative stress, and altered antioxidant capacity-based mechanisms of CAPs-induced neurotoxicity, supported by observations of increased serum oxidized glutathione and increased neuronal cell death in nucleus accumbens with no corresponding significant increase in caspase-3, in male brains following postnatal CAP exposures. Understanding the role of trace element contaminants of particulate matter AP as a source of neurotoxicity is critical for public health protection.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marissa Sobolewski
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, NY, USA
| | - Elena Marvin
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, NY, USA
| | - Katherine Conrad
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, NY, USA
| | - Alyssa Merrill
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, NY, USA
| | - Tim Anderson
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, NY, USA
| | - Brian P Jackson
- Department of Earth Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Gunter Oberdorster
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, NY, USA
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50
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Khafaie MA, Sayyah M, Rahim F. Extreme pollution, climate change, and depression. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2019; 26:22103-22105. [PMID: 31228060 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-019-05727-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2018] [Accepted: 06/10/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Morteza Abdullatif Khafaie
- Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Mehdi Sayyah
- Education Development Center (EDC), Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Fakher Rahim
- Research Center of Thalassemia & Hemoglobinopathy, Health Research Institute, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
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