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Zheng R, Romero-Del Rey R, Ruiz-Moreno F, Garcia-Gonzalez J, Requena-Mullor M, Navarro-Mena AÁ, López-Villén A, Alarcon-Rodriguez R. Depressive symptoms and suicide attempts among farmers exposed to pesticides. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY 2024; 108:104461. [PMID: 38723701 DOI: 10.1016/j.etap.2024.104461] [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: 01/18/2024] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/20/2024]
Abstract
Pesticides safeguard crop health but may diminish cholinesterase activity in farmers, potentially leading to psychiatric disorders like depression and suicide attempts. This study, with 453 participants (225 pesticide-exposed farmers, 228 non-farmers) in Almería, Spain, aimed to investigate the presence of depressive symptoms and suicide attempts, the decrease acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) activity, and their relationship with pesticide exposure in farmers. Depressive symptoms were evaluated using the Spanish adaptation of the Beck Depression Inventory, and blood samples were analyzed for AChE and BChE activity. Farmers showed significantly increased risk of moderate/severe depression and suicide attempts compared to non-farmers (OR = 2.18; p = 0.001), with highest risks observed among mancozeb users (OR = 2.76; p = 0.001 for depression) and malathion users (OR = 3.50; p = 0.001 for suicide attempts). Findings emphasize elevated depression and suicide risks among pesticide-exposed farmers, particularly associated with chlorpyrifos, mancozeb, and malathion exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruirui Zheng
- Department of Nursing, Physiotherapy and Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Almería, Almería 04120, Spain
| | - Raúl Romero-Del Rey
- Department of Nursing, Physiotherapy and Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Almería, Almería 04120, Spain.
| | | | - Jessica Garcia-Gonzalez
- Department of Nursing, Physiotherapy and Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Almería, Almería 04120, Spain
| | - Mar Requena-Mullor
- Department of Nursing, Physiotherapy and Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Almería, Almería 04120, Spain
| | | | | | - Raquel Alarcon-Rodriguez
- Department of Nursing, Physiotherapy and Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Almería, Almería 04120, Spain
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Hughes S, Hessel EVS. Zebrafish and nematodes as whole organism models to measure developmental neurotoxicity. Crit Rev Toxicol 2024; 54:330-343. [PMID: 38832580 DOI: 10.1080/10408444.2024.2342448] [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: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
Despite the growing epidemiological evidence of an association between toxin exposure and developmental neurotoxicity (DNT), systematic testing of DNT is not mandatory in international regulations for admission of pharmaceuticals or industrial chemicals. However, to date around 200 compounds, ranging from pesticides, pharmaceuticals and industrial chemicals, have been tested for DNT in the current OECD test guidelines (TG-443 or TG-426). There are calls for the development of new approach methodologies (NAMs) for DNT, which has resulted in a DNT testing battery using in vitro human cell-based assays. These assays provide a means to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of toxicity in humans which is lacking in animal-based toxicity tests. However, cell-based assays do not represent all steps of the complex process leading to DNT. Validated models with a multi-organ network of pathways that interact at the molecular, cellular and tissue level at very specific timepoints in a life cycle are currently missing. Consequently, whole model organisms are being developed to screen for, and causally link, new molecular targets of DNT compounds and how they affect whole brain development and neurobehavioral endpoints. Given the practical and ethical restraints associated with vertebrate testing, lower animal models that qualify as 3 R (reduce, refine and replace) models, including the nematode (Caenorhabditis elegans) and the zebrafish (Danio rerio) will prove particularly valuable for unravelling toxicity pathways leading to DNT. Although not as complex as the human brain, these 3 R-models develop a complete functioning brain with numerous neurodevelopmental processes overlapping with human brain development. Importantly, the main signalling pathways relating to (neuro)development, metabolism and growth are highly conserved in these models. We propose the use of whole model organisms specifically zebrafish and C. elegans for DNT relevant endpoints.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha Hughes
- Department of Environmental Health and Toxicology, A-LIFE, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ellen V S Hessel
- Centre for Health Protection, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands
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Khan KM, Gaine ME, Daniel AR, Chilamkuri P, Rohlman DS. Organophosphorus pesticide exposure from house dust and parent-reported child behavior in Latino children from an orchard community. Neurotoxicology 2024; 102:29-36. [PMID: 38453034 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2024.03.001] [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: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Organophosphorus pesticide (OP) exposure is known to have adverse effects on the nervous system. Children from agricultural communities are at risk of exposure to these chemicals from their indoor environments that can lead to neurological and developmental problems, including changes in behavior. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study is to evaluate whether the take-home pathway exposure is associated with behavioral and emotional problems in Latino Orchid Community children. METHOD The study was implemented over a period of two years (2008-2010) in an orchard farming community with a total of 324 parents who had children between the ages of 5-12 years old. Mothers of the children were asked to complete the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and dust from their carpets was collected. Emotional and behavioral deficits were assessed based on the CBCL and house dust was assessed for OP concentrations. In this study, correlations between OPs in house dust and CBCL subscales were estimated using linear regression models with total OP concentrations classified by tertiles. This study also facilitated the comparison between the agricultural and non-agricultural families in terms of behavioral deficits and house dust concentrations of pesticides. RESULTS The data from the study shows that there was a positive association between the concentration of OP residues in house dust and internalizing behavior (β=2.06, p=0.05) whereas the association with externalizing behavior was not significant after accounting for sociocultural covariates. Significant positive associations of OP residues with somatic problems (p=0.02) and thought problems (p=0.05) were also found. CONCLUSION The data support a potential role of OP exposure in childhood development, with a specific focus on internalizing behavior. Future work focused on longitudinal studies may uncover the long-term consequences of OP exposure and behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khalid M Khan
- Department of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Sam Houston State University, 1901 Ave I, Huntsville, TX 77340, USA.
| | - Marie E Gaine
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Experimental Therapeutics (PSET), College of Pharmacy, University of Iowa, 546 CPB, 180 S Grand Ave, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA; Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Human Toxicology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Alyssa R Daniel
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Experimental Therapeutics (PSET), College of Pharmacy, University of Iowa, 546 CPB, 180 S Grand Ave, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA; Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Human Toxicology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Pavani Chilamkuri
- Department of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Sam Houston State University, 1901 Ave I, Huntsville, TX 77340, USA
| | - Diane S Rohlman
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, S143 CPHB 145 N. Riverside Drive, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
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Rosa MJ, Armendáriz-Arnez C, Gudayol-Ferré E, Prehn M, Fuhrimann S, Eskenazi B, Lindh CH, Mora AM. Association of pesticide exposure with neurobehavioral outcomes among avocado farmworkers in Mexico. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2024; 256:114322. [PMID: 38219443 PMCID: PMC10956701 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2024.114322] [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: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIM To date, few studies have focused on the health effects of pesticide exposure among avocado farmworkers. We examined the association of exposure to insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides with cognitive and mental health outcomes among these avocado workers from Michoacan, Mexico. MATERIALS AND METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional study of 105 avocado farmworkers between May and August 2021. We collected data on self-reported pesticide use during the 12 months prior to the baseline survey and estimated annual exposure-intensity scores (EIS) using a semi-quantitative exposure algorithm. We calculated specific gravity adjusted average concentrations of 12 insecticide, fungicide, or herbicide metabolites measured in urine samples collected during two study visits (8-10 weeks apart). We assessed participants' cognitive function and psychological distress using the NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery and the Brief Symptom Inventory 18 (BSI-18), respectively. We examined individual associations of EIS and urinary pesticide metabolites with neurobehavioral outcomes using generalized linear regression models. We also implemented Bayesian Weighted Quantile Sum (BWQS) regression to evaluate the association between a pesticide metabolite mixture and neurobehavioral outcomes. RESULTS In individual models, after adjusting for multiple comparisons, higher concentrations of hydroxy-tebuconazole (OH-TEB, metabolite of fungicide tebuconazole) were associated with higher anxiety (IRR per two-fold increase in concentrations = 1.26, 95% CI:1.08, 1.48) and Global Severity Index (GSI) (IRR = 1.89, 95% CI:1.36, 2.75) scores, whereas higher concentrations of 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol (TCPy, metabolite of chlorpyrifos) were associated with lower GSI scores (IRR = 0.69, 95% CI: 0.56, 0.85). In BWQS analyses, we found evidence of a mixture association of urinary pesticide metabolites with higher anxiety (IRR = 1.72, 95% CrI: 1.12, 2.55), depression (IRR = 4.60, 95% CrI: 2.19, 9.43), and GSI (IRR = 1.99, 95% CrI: 1.39, 2.79) scores. OH-TEB and hydroxy-thiabendazole (metabolite of fungicide thiabendazole) combined contributed 54%, 40%, and 54% to the mixture effect in the anxiety symptoms, depression symptoms, and overall psychological distress models, respectively. CONCLUSIONS We found that exposure to tebuconazole and thiabendazole, fungicides whose effects have been rarely studied in humans, may be associated with increased psychological distress among avocado farmworkers. We also observed that exposure to chlorpyrifos may be associated with decreased psychological distress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria José Rosa
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States.
| | - Cynthia Armendáriz-Arnez
- Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores (ENES) Unidad Morelia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Morelia, Mexico
| | - Esteve Gudayol-Ferré
- Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Morelia, Mexico
| | - Manuela Prehn
- Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores (ENES) Unidad Morelia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Morelia, Mexico
| | - Samuel Fuhrimann
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), Basel, Switzerland
| | - Brenda Eskenazi
- Center for Environmental Research and Community Health (CERCH), School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States
| | - Christian H Lindh
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Ana M Mora
- Center for Environmental Research and Community Health (CERCH), School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States
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Ruirui Z, Raúl RDR, Jessica GG, Mar RM, Navarro-Mena Á, López-Villén A, Raquel AR. Indicators of occupational pesticide exposure are associated with psychiatric symptoms. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY 2024; 105:104357. [PMID: 38158030 DOI: 10.1016/j.etap.2023.104357] [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: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
In southeastern Spain, intensive and highly productive agriculture under plastic also poses a risk to human health, as evidenced by reports on acute pesticide poisoning and its effects on mental health. However, knowledge of chronic exposures and their relationship to psychiatric disorders is still limited. This study analyzed the relationship between occupational exposure to pesticides and psychiatric disorders in farmers from Almería. A cross-sectional study was conducted amongst a coastal population in Almería, where over 32,800 ha of land are dedicated to intensive agriculture in plastic greenhouses. A total of 409 people participated in the study: 203 farmers and 206 control subjects. The highest risk of psychiatric disorders was observed in farmers living in areas of high exposure to pesticides, working in greenhouses (intensive agriculture), without protective goggles and without wearing masks. This study supports previous evidence of an elevated risk of psychiatric disorders among farm workers exposed to pesticides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Ruirui
- Department of Nursing, Physiotherapy and Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Almería, 04120 Almería, Spain
| | - Romero-Del Rey Raúl
- Department of Nursing, Physiotherapy and Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Almería, 04120 Almería, Spain.
| | - Garcia-Gonzalez Jessica
- Department of Nursing, Physiotherapy and Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Almería, 04120 Almería, Spain
| | - Requena-Mullor Mar
- Department of Nursing, Physiotherapy and Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Almería, 04120 Almería, Spain
| | | | | | - Alarcon-Rodriguez Raquel
- Department of Nursing, Physiotherapy and Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Almería, 04120 Almería, Spain
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