Schildroth Samantha, Claus Henn Birgit, Geller Ruth J, Wesselink Amelia K, Upson Kristen, Vines Anissa I, Vinceti Marco, Harmon Quaker E, Baird Donna D, Wegienka Ganesa, Wise Lauren A
Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
Neurotoxicology. 2025 May;108:94-104. doi: 10.1016/j.neuro.2025.02.005. Epub 2025 Mar 1.
Exposure to metals has been previously associated with depressive symptoms, but few studies have considered potential effects of metal mixtures. In addition, few previous studies have been conducted among Black women, who are disproportionately at risk for exposure to some metals and greater depression incidence and severity. We analyzed data from the Study of Environment, Lifestyle, and Fibroids (SELF), a prospective cohort study of reproductive-aged Black women from Detroit, to examine associations between a mixture of metals, metalloids, and trace elements ("metals") and depressive symptoms (n = 1450). SELF participants self-identified as Black or African American and were 23-34 years of age at enrollment. We collected covariate information on structured questionnaires and whole blood samples at baseline. We quantified 17 metals in whole blood using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer triple quadruple or Direct Mercury Analyzer-80. Participants reported depressive symptoms on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) at the 20-month follow-up visit, where higher CES-D scores reflected greater depressive symptoms. We used quantile-based g-computation to estimate the cumulative association of the metal mixture with CES-D scores, adjusting for age, household income, educational attainment, body mass index, smoking status, alcohol intake, and parity. We estimated beta coefficients (with 95 % confidence intervals [CI]) as the percent difference in CES-D scores per quartile increase in all metals. A one-quartile increase in the metal mixture was associated with 14.8 % lower (95 % CI=-26.7 %, -1.1 %) CES-D scores, reflecting lower depressive symptoms. The mixture association was driven by nickel, copper, cesium, molybdenum, and lead. Other neurotoxic metals (cadmium, arsenic, mercury, chromium) were associated with greater depressive symptoms. Findings from this study suggest that exposure to a mixture of metals may affect depressive symptoms in Black women, with individual metals acting in opposing directions.
此前，接触金属已被认为与抑郁症状有关，但很少有研究考虑金属混合物的潜在影响。此外，之前针对黑人女性开展的研究较少，而她们面临某些金属暴露的风险更高，抑郁症的发病率和严重程度也更高。我们分析了环境、生活方式与子宫肌瘤研究（SELF）的数据，这是一项对底特律育龄黑人女性进行的前瞻性队列研究，旨在研究金属、类金属和微量元素（“金属”）混合物与抑郁症状（n = 1450）之间的关联。SELF的参与者自我认定为黑人或非裔美国人，入组时年龄在23至34岁之间。我们在基线时通过结构化问卷和全血样本收集协变量信息。我们使用电感耦合等离子体质谱仪三重四极杆或直接测汞仪-80对全血中的17种金属进行定量。参与者在20个月的随访中通过流行病学研究中心抑郁量表（CES-D）报告抑郁症状，CES-D得分越高表明抑郁症状越严重。我们使用基于分位数的g计算来估计金属混合物与CES-D得分的累积关联，并对年龄、家庭收入、教育程度、体重指数、吸烟状况、酒精摄入量和平产次数进行了调整。我们将β系数（及其95%置信区间[CI]）估计为所有金属每增加一个四分位数时CES-D得分的百分比差异。金属混合物增加一个四分位数与CES-D得分降低14.8%（95%CI = -26.7%，-1.1%）相关，这反映出抑郁症状较轻。这种混合物关联主要由镍、铜、铯、钼和铅驱动。其他神经毒性金属（镉、砷、汞、铬）与更严重的抑郁症状相关。这项研究的结果表明，接触金属混合物可能会影响黑人女性的抑郁症状，而不同的金属作用方向相反。
