Prenatal Phthalate Exposure Is Associated with Childhood Behavior and Executive Functioning
Background: Experimental and observational studies have reported biological consequences of phthalate exposure relevant to neurodevelopment. Objective: Our goal was to examine the association of prenatal phthalate exposure with behavior and executive functioning at 4–9 years of age. Methods: The Mou...
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Published in | Environmental health perspectives Vol. 118; no. 4; pp. 565 - 571 |
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Main Authors | , , , , , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
Research Triangle Park, NC
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
01.04.2010
US Department of Health and Human Services |
Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
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Summary: | Background: Experimental and observational studies have reported biological consequences of phthalate exposure relevant to neurodevelopment. Objective: Our goal was to examine the association of prenatal phthalate exposure with behavior and executive functioning at 4–9 years of age. Methods: The Mount Sinai Children's Environmental Health Study enrolled a multiethnic prenatal population in New York City between 1998 and 2002 (n = 404). Third-trimester maternal urines were collected and analyzed for phthalate metabolites. Children (n = 188, n = 365 visits) were assessed for cognitive and behavioral development between the ages of 4 and 9 years. Results: In multivariate adjusted models, increased loge concentrations of low molecular weight (LMW) phthalate metabolites were associated with poorer scores on the aggression [β = 1.24; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.15–2.34], conduct problems (β = 2.40; 95% CI, 1.34–3.46), attention problems (β = 1.29; 95% CI, 0.16–2.41), and depression (β = 1.18; 95% CI, 0.11–2.24) clinical scales; and externalizing problems (β = 1.75; 95% CI, 0.61–2.88) and behavioral symptom index (β = 1.55; 95% CI, 0.39–2.71) composite scales. Increased loge concentrations of LMW phthalates were also associated with poorer scores on the global executive composite index (β = 1.23; 95% CI, 0.09–2.36) and the emotional control scale (β = 1.33; 95% CI, 0.18–2.49). Conclusion: Behavioral domains adversely associated with prenatal exposure to LMW phthalates in our study are commonly found to be affected in children clinically diagnosed with conduct or attention deficit hyperactivity disorders. |
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Bibliography: | The authors declare they have no competing financial interests. |
ISSN: | 0091-6765 1552-9924 |
DOI: | 10.1289/ehp.0901470 |