Abstract
Background
Air pollution exposure during fetal life has been related to impaired child neurodevelopment,
but it is unclear if brain structural alterations underlie this association. The authors
assessed whether air pollution exposure during fetal life alters brain morphology
and whether these alterations mediate the association between air pollution exposure
during fetal life and cognitive function in school-age children.
Methods
We used data from a population-based birth cohort set up in Rotterdam, The Netherlands
(2002–2006). Residential levels of air pollution during the entire fetal period were
calculated using land-use regression models. Structural neuroimaging and cognitive
function were performed at 6 to 10 years of age (n = 783). Models were adjusted for several socioeconomic and lifestyle characteristics.
Results
Mean fine particle levels were 20.2 μg/m3 (range, 16.8–28.1 μg/m3). Children exposed to higher particulate matter levels during fetal life had thinner
cortex in several brain regions of both hemispheres (e.g., cerebral cortex of the
precuneus region in the right hemisphere was 0.045 mm thinner (95% confidence interval,
0.028–0.062) for each 5-μg/m3 increase in fine particles). The reduced cerebral cortex in precuneus and rostral
middle frontal regions partially mediated the association between exposure to fine
particles and impaired inhibitory control. Air pollution exposure was not associated
with global brain volumes.
Conclusions
Exposure to fine particles during fetal life was related to child brain structural
alterations of the cerebral cortex, and these alterations partially mediated the association
between exposure to fine particles during fetal life and impaired child inhibitory
control. Such cognitive impairment at early ages could have significant long-term
consequences.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: February 04, 2018
Accepted:
January 15,
2018
Received in revised form:
December 16,
2017
Received:
June 22,
2017
Identification
Copyright
© 2018 Society of Biological Psychiatry.
