Effects of in utero exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls and related contaminants on cognitive functioning in young children
- Wayne State Univ., Detroit, MI (USA)
Because prenatal exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and related contaminants has been associated with reduced birth weight, neonatal behavioral anomalies, and poorer recognition memory in infants born to women who have consumed Lake Michigan sports fish, 236 children, previously evaluated for PCB-related deficits in infancy, were assessed at 4 years of age. Prenatal exposure (indicated by umbilical cord serum PCB level) predicted poorer short-term memory function on both verbal and quantitative tests in a dose-dependent fashion. These effects cannot be attributed to a broad range of potential confounding variables, the impact of which was evaluated statistically. Although much larger quantities of PCBs are transferred postnatally via lactation than prenatally across the placenta, exposure from nursing was unrelated to cognitive performance. The data demonstrate the continuation of a toxic impact received in utero and observed initially during infancy on a dimension of cognitive functioning fundamental to learning.
- OSTI ID:
- 7244293
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Pediatrics; (USA), Journal Name: Journal of Pediatrics; (USA) Vol. 116:1; ISSN 0022-3476; ISSN JOPDA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AGE GROUPS
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
AROMATICS
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BLOOD
BODY BURDEN
BODY FLUIDS
CHILDREN
CHLORINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
CONTAMINATION
FISHES
FOOD
FOOD CHAINS
GREAT LAKES
HALOGENATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
INFANTS
LACTATION
LAKE MICHIGAN
LAKES
LEARNING
MATERIALS
MILK
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
PREGNANCY
PRENATAL EXPOSURE
SURFACE WATERS
TERATOGENESIS
VERTEBRATES
WATER POLLUTION