Influence of Genetic Polymorphisms on Cognitive Function According to Dietary Exposure to Bisphenols in a Sample of Spanish Schoolchildren.

BACKGROUND

Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) like intellectual disability (ID) are highly heritable, but the environment plays an important role. For example, endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), including bisphenol A (BPA) and its analogues, have been termed neuroendocrine disruptors. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of different genetic polymorphisms (SNPs) on cognitive function in Spanish schoolchildren according to dietary bisphenol exposure.

METHODS

A total of 102 children aged 6-12 years old were included. Ten SNPs in genes involved in brain development, synaptic plasticity, and neurotransmission (, , , , , , and ) were genotyped. Then, dietary exposure to bisphenols (BPA plus BPS) was estimated and cognitive functions were assessed using the WISC-V Spanish form.

RESULTS

rs11030101-T and rs363039-A allele carriers scored better on the fluid reasoning domain, except for those inheriting the rs6265-A allele, who had lower scores. Secondly, relevant SNP-bisphenol interactions existed in verbal comprehension ( rs10868235 (-int = 0.043)), working memory ( rs7997012 (-int = 0.002), rs1801133 (-int = 0.026), and rs53576 (-int = 0.030)) and fluid reasoning ( rs998424 (-int = 0.004)).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings provide the first proof that exploring the synergistic or additive effects between genetic variability and bisphenol exposure on cognitive function could lead to a better understanding of the multifactorial and polygenic aetiology of NDDs.