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Aguilar-Lacasaña S, Fontes Marques I, de Castro M, Dadvand P, Escribà X, Fossati S, González JR, Nieuwenhuijsen M, Alfano R, Annesi-Maesano I, Brescianini S, Burrows K, Calas L, Elhakeem A, Heude B, Hough A, Isaevska E, W V Jaddoe V, Lawlor DA, Monaghan G, Nawrot T, Plusquin M, Richiardi L, Watmuff A, Yang TC, Vrijheid M, F Felix J, Bustamante M. Green space exposure and blood DNA methylation at birth and in childhood - A multi-cohort study. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2024; 188:108684. [PMID: 38776651 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 04/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Green space exposure has been associated with improved mental, physical and general health. However, the underlying biological mechanisms remain largely unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between green space exposure and cord and child blood DNA methylation. Data from eight European birth cohorts with a total of 2,988 newborns and 1,849 children were used. Two indicators of residential green space exposure were assessed: (i) surrounding greenness (satellite-based Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) in buffers of 100 m and 300 m) and (ii) proximity to green space (having a green space ≥ 5,000 m2 within a distance of 300 m). For these indicators we assessed two exposure windows: (i) pregnancy, and (ii) the period from pregnancy to child blood DNA methylation assessment, named as cumulative exposure. DNA methylation was measured with the Illumina 450K or EPIC arrays. To identify differentially methylated positions (DMPs) we fitted robust linear regression models between pregnancy green space exposure and cord blood DNA methylation and between cumulative green space exposure and child blood DNA methylation. Two sensitivity analyses were conducted: (i) without adjusting for cellular composition, and (ii) adjusting for air pollution. Cohort results were combined through fixed-effect inverse variance weighted meta-analyses. Differentially methylated regions (DMRs) were identified from meta-analysed results using the Enmix-combp and DMRcate methods. There was no statistical evidence of pregnancy or cumulative exposures associating with any DMP (False Discovery Rate, FDR, p-value < 0.05). However, surrounding greenness exposure was inversely associated with four DMRs (three in cord blood and one in child blood) annotated to ADAMTS2, KCNQ1DN, SLC6A12 and SDK1 genes. Results did not change substantially in the sensitivity analyses. Overall, we found little evidence of the association between green space exposure and blood DNA methylation. Although we identified associations between surrounding greenness exposure with four DMRs, these findings require replication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Aguilar-Lacasaña
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Spain; Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Irene Fontes Marques
- Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Montserrat de Castro
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Spain
| | - Payam Dadvand
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Spain
| | - Xavier Escribà
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Spain
| | - Serena Fossati
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Spain
| | - Juan R González
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Spain
| | - Mark Nieuwenhuijsen
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Spain
| | - Rossella Alfano
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Building D, 3590, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Isabella Annesi-Maesano
- Desbrest Institute of Epidemiology and Public Health (IDESP), Montpellier University and Inserm, Montpellier, Service des Maladies Allergiques et Respiratoires, CHU, Montpellier, France
| | - Sonia Brescianini
- Centre for Behavioural Science and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Kimberley Burrows
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Lucinda Calas
- Université Paris Cité and Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Inserm, INRAE, Center for Research in Epidemiology and StatisticS (CRESS), F-75004 Paris, France
| | - Ahmed Elhakeem
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Barbara Heude
- Université Paris Cité and Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Inserm, INRAE, Center for Research in Epidemiology and StatisticS (CRESS), F-75004 Paris, France
| | - Amy Hough
- Born in Bradford, Wolfson Centre for Applied Health Research, Bradford Royal Infirmary, Bradford, UK
| | - Elena Isaevska
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, CPO-Piemonte, Turin, Italy
| | - Vincent W V Jaddoe
- Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Deborah A Lawlor
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK; Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Genevieve Monaghan
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Tim Nawrot
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Building D, 3590, Diepenbeek, Belgium; Department of Public Health, Leuven University (KU Leuven), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Michelle Plusquin
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Building D, 3590, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Lorenzo Richiardi
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, CPO-Piemonte, Turin, Italy
| | - Aidan Watmuff
- Born in Bradford, Wolfson Centre for Applied Health Research, Bradford Royal Infirmary, Bradford, UK
| | - Tiffany C Yang
- Bradford Institute for Health Research, Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, UK
| | - Martine Vrijheid
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Spain
| | - Janine F Felix
- Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Mariona Bustamante
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Spain
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Kao CS, Fan YT, Wang YL, Chen YH, Chao HJ, Lo YC, Jiang CB, Chien LC. Associations between parental and postnatal metal mixture exposure and developmental delays in a Taiwanese longitudinal birth cohort of preschool children. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:117360-117372. [PMID: 37867168 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-30435-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
Studies have evaluated the impact of environmental exposure to neurotoxic metals on developmental delays (DDs). However, comprehensive understanding regarding the associations between parental and postnatal exposure to metal mixtures and the occurrence of DDs in offspring is limited. In this study, we assessed the relationships between parental and postnatal exposure to three metals (arsenic [As], cadmium [Cd], and lead [Pb], levels of which were measured in toenails) and suspected DDs (SDDs) in preschool children within a Taiwanese longitudinal birth cohort. In total between 2017 and 2021, 154 pairs of parents and their children under the age of 6 years were recruited, and 462 toenail samples and 154 completed questionnaires were collected. Metal concentrations in toenails were quantified using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry after acid digestion of the toenails. We applied multivariable logistic regression and Bayesian kernel machine regression to evaluate the overall effect and to identify key components of the metal mixture that were associated with the SDD risk. Higher concentrations of As, Cd, and Pb were found in the toenails of the parents of children with SDDs compared with the toenails of the parents of children without SDDs. Our examination of the combined effects of exposure to the metal mixture revealed that As concentration in the father's toenail and Cd concentration in the mother's toenail were positively correlated with the risk of SDDs in their offspring. Notably, the effect of exposure to the metal mixture on the risk of SDDs was stronger in boys than in girls. Our findings suggest that parents taking measures to minimize their exposure to metals might enhance their children's developmental outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi-Sian Kao
- School of Public Health, College of Public Health, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yen-Tzu Fan
- School of Public Health, College of Public Health, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Environmental Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ying-Lin Wang
- School of Public Health, College of Public Health, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Environmental Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Hua Chen
- School of Public Health, College of Public Health, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Neuroscience Research Center, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hsing-Jasmine Chao
- School of Public Health, College of Public Health, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Neuroscience Research Center, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Chun Lo
- Neuroscience Research Center, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Program in Medical Neuroscience, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chuen-Bin Jiang
- Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, MacKay Children's Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Medicine, MacKay Medical College, New Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Ling-Chu Chien
- School of Public Health, College of Public Health, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
- Neuroscience Research Center, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
- Nutrition Research Center, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
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Alfano R, Bijnens E, Langie SAS, Nawrot TS, Reimann B, Vanbrabant K, Wang C, Plusquin M. Epigenome-wide analysis of maternal exposure to green space during gestation and cord blood DNA methylation in the ENVIRONAGE cohort. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 216:114828. [PMID: 36400229 PMCID: PMC9760568 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.114828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Revised: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND DNA methylation programming is sensitive to prenatal life environmental influences, but the impact of maternal exposure to green space on newborns DNA methylation has not been studied yet. METHODS We conducted a meta-epigenome-wide association study (EWAS) of maternal exposure to green space during gestation with cord blood DNA methylation in two subsets of the ENVIRONAGE cohort (N = 538). Cord blood DNA methylation was measured by Illumina HumanMethylation 450K in one subset (N = 189) and EPICarray in another (N = 349). High (vegetation height>3 m (m)), low (vegetation height<3 m) and total (including both) high-resolution green space exposures during pregnancy were estimated within 100 m and 1000 m distance around maternal residence. In each subset, we sought cytosine-phosphate-guanine (CpG) sites via linear mixed models adjusted on newborns' sex, ethnicity, gestational age, season at delivery, sampling day, maternal parity, age, smoking, education, and estimated blood cell proportions. EWASs results were meta-analysed via fixed-effects meta-analyses. Differentially methylated regions (DMRs) were identified via ENmix-combp and DMRcate algorithms. Sensitivity analyses were additionally adjusted on PM2.5, distance to major roads, urbanicity and neighborhood income. In the 450K subset, cord blood expression of differentially methylated genes was measured by Agilent microarrays and associated with green space. RESULTS 147 DMRs were identified, 85 of which were still significant upon adjustment for PM2.5, distance to major roads, urbanicity and neighborhood income, including HLA-DRB5, RPTOR, KCNQ1DN, A1BG-AS1, HTR2A, ZNF274, COL11A1 and PRSS36 DMRs. One CpG reached genome-wide significance, while 54 CpGs were suggestive significant (p-values<1e-05). Among them, a CpG, hypermethylated with 100 m buffer total green space, was annotated to PAQR9, whose expression decreased with 1000 m buffer low green space (p-value = 1.45e-05). CONCLUSIONS Our results demonstrate that maternal exposure to green space during pregnancy is associated with cord blood DNA methylation, mainly at loci organized in regions, in genes playing important roles in neurological development (e.g., HTR2A).
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Affiliation(s)
- Rossella Alfano
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Building D, 3590, Diepenbeek, Belgium.
| | - Esmée Bijnens
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Building D, 3590, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Sabine A S Langie
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Building D, 3590, Diepenbeek, Belgium; Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, School for Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism (NUTRIM), Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Tim S Nawrot
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Building D, 3590, Diepenbeek, Belgium; Department of Public Health, Leuven University (KU Leuven), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Brigitte Reimann
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Building D, 3590, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Kenneth Vanbrabant
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Building D, 3590, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Congrong Wang
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Building D, 3590, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Michelle Plusquin
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Building D, 3590, Diepenbeek, Belgium
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Staes N, Guevara EE, Hopkins WD, Schapiro SJ, Eens M, Sherwood CC, Bradley BJ. The Role of Serotonergic Gene Methylation in Regulating Anxiety-Related Personality Traits in Chimpanzees. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:1673. [PMID: 36421387 PMCID: PMC9687614 DOI: 10.3390/biology11111673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Revised: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
While low serotonergic activity is often associated with psychological disorders such as depression, anxiety, mood, and personality disorders, variations in serotonin also contribute to normal personality differences. In this study, we investigated the role of blood DNA methylation levels at individual CpG sites of two key serotonergic genes (serotonin receptor gene 1A, HTR1A; serotonin transporter gene, SLC6A4) in predicting the personalities of captive chimpanzees. We found associations between methylation at 9/48 CpG sites with four personality dimensions: Dominance, Reactivity/Dependability, Agreeableness, and Openness. Directionality of effects were CpG location-dependent and confirmed a role of serotonergic methylation in reducing anxiety (Dominance) and aggression-related personality (Reactivity/Undependability) while simultaneously promoting prosocial (Agreeableness) and exploratory personalities (Openness). Although early-life adversity has been shown to impact serotonergic methylation patterns in other species, here, atypical early social rearing experiences only had a modest impact on CpG methylation levels in this chimpanzee sample. The precise environmental factors impacting serotonergic methylation in chimpanzees remain to be identified. Nevertheless, our study suggests a role in shaping natural variation in animal personalities. The results of this study offer a basis for future hypothesis-driven testing in additional populations and species to better understand the impact of ecology and evolution on complex behavioral traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicky Staes
- Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, Department of Anthropology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
- Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
- Centre for Research and Conservation, Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp, Koningin Astridplein 26, 2018 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Elaine E. Guevara
- Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, Department of Anthropology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
| | - William D. Hopkins
- Michale E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX 78602, USA
| | - Steven J. Schapiro
- Michale E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX 78602, USA
| | - Marcel Eens
- Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Chet C. Sherwood
- Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, Department of Anthropology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
| | - Brenda J. Bradley
- Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, Department of Anthropology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
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Dockx Y, Bijnens E, Saenen N, Aerts R, Aerts JM, Casas L, Delcloo A, Dendoncker N, Linard C, Plusquin M, Stas M, Van Nieuwenhuyse A, Van Orshoven J, Somers B, Nawrot T. Residential green space in association with the methylation status in a CpG site within the promoter region of the placental serotonin receptor HTR2A. Epigenetics 2022; 17:1863-1874. [PMID: 35723001 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2022.2088464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Green space could influence adult cognition and childhood neurodevelopment , and is hypothesized to be partly driven by epigenetic modifications. However, it remains unknown whether some of these associations are already evident during foetal development. Similar biological signals shape the developmental processes in the foetal brain and placenta.Therefore, we hypothesize that green space can modify epigenetic processes of cognition-related pathways in placental tissue, such as DNA-methylation of the serotonin receptor HTR2A. HTR2A-methylation was determined within 327 placentas from the ENVIRONAGE (ENVIRonmental influence ON early AGEing) birth cohort using bisulphite-PCR-pyrosequencing. Total green space exposure was calculated using high-resolution land cover data derived from the Green Map of Flanders in seven buffers (50 m-3 km) and stratified into low (<3 m) and high (≥3 m) vegetation. Residential nature was calculated using the Land use Map of Flanders. We performed multivariate regression models adjusted for several a priori chosen covariables. For an IQR increment in total green space within a 1,000 m, 2,000 m and 3,000 m buffer the methylation of HTR2A increased with 1.47% (95%CI:0.17;2.78), 1.52% (95%CI:0.21;2.83) and 1.42% (95%CI:0.15;2.69), respectively. Additionally,, we found 3.00% (95%CI:1.09;4.91) and 1.98% (95%CI:0.28;3.68) higher HTR2A-methylation when comparing residences with and without the presence of nature in a 50 m and 100 m buffer, respectively. The methylation status of HTR2A in placental tissue is positively associated with maternal green space exposure. Future research is needed to understand better how these epigenetic changes are related to functional modifications in the placenta and the consequent implications for foetal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinthe Dockx
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Esmée Bijnens
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Nelly Saenen
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Raf Aerts
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium.,Division Forest, Nature and Landscape, Department Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Risk and Health Impact Assessment, Sciensano (Belgian Institute of Health), Brussels, Belgium.,Division Ecology, Evolution and Biodiversity Conservation, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Mycology and Aerobiology, Sciensano (Belgian Institute of Health), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Jean-Marie Aerts
- Division Animal and Human Health Engineering, Department of Biosystems (BIOSYST), KU LeuvenMeasure, Model & Manage Bioresponses (M3-BIORES), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lidia Casas
- Center for Environment and Health, Department of Public Health, Leuven University (KU Leuven), Leuven, Belgium.,Social Epidemiology and Health Policy, Department of Family Medicine and Population Health, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.,Institute for Environment and Sustainable Development (IMDO), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Andy Delcloo
- Royal Meteorological Institute of Belgium, Brussels, Belgium.,Department of Physics and Astronomy, Ghent University, Gent, Belgium
| | - Nicolas Dendoncker
- Department of Geography, University of Namur, Namur, Belgium.,Institute for Life, Earth and Environment (ILEE), University of Namur, Namur, Belgium
| | - Catherine Linard
- Department of Geography, University of Namur, Namur, Belgium.,Institute for Life, Earth and Environment (ILEE), University of Namur, Namur, Belgium
| | - Michelle Plusquin
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Michiel Stas
- Division Forest, Nature and Landscape, Department Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Division Animal and Human Health Engineering, Department of Biosystems (BIOSYST), KU LeuvenMeasure, Model & Manage Bioresponses (M3-BIORES), Leuven, Belgium
| | - An Van Nieuwenhuyse
- Center for Environment and Health, Department of Public Health, Leuven University (KU Leuven), Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Health Protection, Laboratoire national de santé (LNS), Dudelange, Luxembourg
| | - Jos Van Orshoven
- Division Forest, Nature and Landscape, Department Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ben Somers
- Division Forest, Nature and Landscape, Department Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Tim Nawrot
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium.,Center for Environment and Health, Department of Public Health, Leuven University (KU Leuven), Leuven, Belgium
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Dockx Y, Bijnens EM, Luyten L, Peusens M, Provost E, Rasking L, Sleurs H, Hogervorst J, Plusquin M, Casas L, Nawrot TS. Early life exposure to residential green space impacts cognitive functioning in children aged 4 to 6 years. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2022; 161:107094. [PMID: 35074632 PMCID: PMC8885429 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION During early childhood, neuronal networks are highly susceptible to environmental factors. Previous research suggests that green space exposure is beneficial for cognitive functioning. Here, we investigate the associations between residential green space exposure and behavioral problems and cognitive development in children aged four to six years. METHOD We included children participating in the ENVIRONAGE birth cohort. Residential green spaces were calculated based on high-resolution land cover data within several buffers (50-1,000 m) around the residence. The children's behavior was assessed with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) among 411 children. In addition, to evaluate cognitive function, 456 children completed four tasks of the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB). We used multivariate logistic and linear regression models while accounting for potential confounders and covariables. RESULTS An interquartile (IQR) increase of residential green space within 50 m was associated with a 38% (95% CI: 56;14) lower odds of a child having hyperactivity problems. Additionally, we found a beneficial influence of residential green space in close proximity (50-100 m) on the attention and psychomotor speed, represented by the Motor Screening Task. For example, we found a decrease of 0.45 (95% CI: -0.82;-0.09) pixel units from target center with an IQR increase of residential green space in a 50 m buffer. In addition, we observed an improved visual recognition/working memory, represented by the Delayed Matching to Sample Task within all included buffers (50-1000 m). For example, we observed a decrease of 4.91% (95 %CI: -7.46;-2.36) probability of an error occurring if the previous trial was correct and a 2.02% (95 %CI: 0.08; 3.97) increase of correct trials with an IQR increase of green space within a 100 m buffer. CONCLUSION This study provides additional indications for a beneficial influence of green space exposure on the development of behavioral problems and cognitive function as young as four years of age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinthe Dockx
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Building D, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Esmée M Bijnens
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Building D, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium; Department of Human Structure and Repair, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Leen Luyten
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Building D, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Martien Peusens
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Building D, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Eline Provost
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Building D, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium; Health Unit, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Mol, Belgium
| | - Leen Rasking
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Building D, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Hanne Sleurs
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Building D, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Janneke Hogervorst
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Building D, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Michelle Plusquin
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Building D, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Lidia Casas
- Social Epidemiology and Health Policy, Department of Family Medicine and Population Health, University of Antwerp, Belgium; Insitute for Environment and Sustainable Development (IMDO), University of Antwerp, Belgium; Center for Environment and Health, Department of Public Health, Leuven University (KU Leuven)
| | - Tim S Nawrot
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Building D, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium; Center for Environment and Health, Department of Public Health, Leuven University (KU Leuven).
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