Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, University of California, San Diego. 9500 Gilman Drive #0725, La Jolla, CA, 92024-0725, USA.
Division of Academic General Pediatrics, Child Development and Community Health, Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego. 9500 Gilman Drive #0832, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0832, USA.
Environ Res. 2022 Mar;204(Pt C):112325. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.112325. Epub 2021 Nov 3.
Limited evidence exists regarding transient neurobehavioral alterations associated with episodic pesticide exposures or agricultural pesticide spray periods. We previously observed that children examined soon after a pesticide spray period (the Mother's Day flower harvest [MDH]) had lower neurobehavioral performance than children examined later. The present study builds on our previous work by incorporating longitudinal analyses from childhood through adolescence.
We examined participants in agricultural communities in Ecuador (ESPINA study) during three periods: July-August 2008 (N = 313, 4-9-year-olds); April 2016 (N = 330, 11-17-year-olds); July-October 2016 (N = 535, 11-17-year-olds). Participants were examined primarily during a period of low floricultural production. Neurobehavior was assessed using the NEPSY-II (domains: Attention/Inhibitory Control, Language, Memory/Learning, Visuospatial Processing, and Social Perception). Linear regression and generalized linear mixed models were used to examine cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between examination date (days) after the MDH and neurobehavioral outcomes, adjusting for demographic, anthropometric, and socio-economic variables.
Participants were examined between 63 and 171 days after the MDH. Mean neurobehavioral domain scores ranged from 1.0 to 17.0 (SD = 2.1-3.1) in 2008 and 1.0 to 15.5 (SD = 2.0-2.3) in 2016. In cross-sectional analyses (2016 only; N = 523), we found significant or borderline positive associations between time after the MDH and Attention/Inhibitory Control (difference/10 days [β] = 0.22 points [95% CI = 0.03, 0.41]) and Language (β = 0.16 points [95% CI = -0.03, 0.34]). We also observed positive, longitudinal associations (2008-2016) with Attention/Inhibitory Control (β = 0.19 points [95% CI = 0.04, 0.34]) through 112 days after the harvest and Visuospatial Processing (β = 3.56, β-quadratic = -0.19 [95% CI: -0.29, -0.09]) through 92 days.
Children examined sooner after the harvest had lower neurobehavioral performance compared to children examined later, suggesting that peak pesticide spray seasons may transiently affect neurobehavior followed by recovery during low pesticide-use periods. Reduction of pesticide exposure potential for children during peak pesticide-use periods is advised.
关于与间歇性农药暴露或农业农药喷洒期相关的短暂神经行为改变，证据有限。我们之前观察到，在喷洒农药后不久接受检查的儿童（母亲节花卉采摘[MDH]）的神经行为表现低于稍后接受检查的儿童。本研究在前人的基础上进行了纵向分析，涵盖了从儿童期到青春期的阶段。
我们在厄瓜多尔的农业社区（ESPINA 研究）的三个时期检查了参与者：2008 年 7 月至 8 月（N=313，4-9 岁）；2016 年 4 月（N=330，11-17 岁）；2016 年 7 月至 10 月（N=535，11-17 岁）。参与者主要在花卉生产淡季接受检查。使用 NEPSY-II（注意力/抑制控制、语言、记忆/学习、视空间处理和社会知觉）评估神经行为。使用线性回归和广义线性混合模型，在调整人口统计学、人体测量学和社会经济变量后，检验 MDH 后检查日期（天）与神经行为结果之间的横断面和纵向关联。
参与者在 MDH 后 63 至 171 天接受检查。2008 年，神经行为域的平均分数范围为 1.0 至 17.0（SD=2.1-3.1），2016 年为 1.0 至 15.5（SD=2.0-2.3）。在横断面分析（仅 2016 年；N=523）中，我们发现 MDH 后时间与注意力/抑制控制（差异/10 天[β]为 0.22 分[95%CI：0.03，0.41]）和语言（β=0.16 分[95%CI：-0.03，0.34]）之间存在显著或边缘正相关。我们还观察到注意力/抑制控制的正纵向关联（2008-2016 年），在收获后 112 天内（β=0.19 分[95%CI：0.04，0.34]）和视空间处理（β=3.56，β二次方=-0.19[95%CI：-0.29，-0.09]）的正纵向关联在收获后 92 天内。
与稍后接受检查的儿童相比，在收获后不久接受检查的儿童的神经行为表现较低，这表明高峰农药喷洒季节可能会暂时影响神经行为，随后在低农药使用期恢复。建议在高峰农药使用期间减少儿童接触农药的潜在风险。
