title: Prenatal exposure to PBDEs and neurodevelopment.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are widely used flame retardant compounds that are persistent and bioaccumulative and therefore have become ubiquitous environment contaminants. Animal studies suggest that prenatal PBDE exposure may result in adverse neurodevelopmental effects.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  In a longitudinal cohort initiated after 11 September 2001, including 329 mothers who delivered in one of three hospitals in lower Manhattan, New York, we examined prenatal PBDE exposure and neurodevelopment when their children were 12-48 and 72 months of age.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed 210 cord blood specimens for selected PBDE congeners and assessed neurodevelopmental effects in the children at 12-48 and 72 months of age; 118, 117, 114, 104, and 96 children with available cord PBDE measurements were assessed at 12, 24, 36, 48, and 72 months, respectively. We used multivariate regression analyses to evaluate the associations between concentrations of individual PBDE congeners and neurodevelopmental indices.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Median cord blood concentrations of PBDE congeners 47, 99, and 100 were 11.2, 3.2, and 1.4 ng/g lipid, respectively. After adjustment for potential confounders, children with higher concentrations of BDEs 47, 99, or 100 scored lower on tests of mental and physical development at 12-48 and 72 months. Associations were significant for 12-month Psychomotor Development Index (BDE-47), 24-month Mental Development Index (MDI) (BDE-47, 99, and 100), 36-month MDI (BDE-100), 48-month full-scale and verbal IQ (BDE-47, 99, and 100) and performance IQ (BDE-100), and 72-month performance IQ (BDE-100).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This epidemiologic study demonstrates neurodevelopmental effects in relation to cord blood PBDE concentrations. Confirmation is needed in other longitudinal studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health, New York, New York 10032 , USA. jh2678@columbia.edu
authors.forename: Julie B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Herbstman
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sjödin
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kurzon
authors.forename: Sally A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Lederman
authors.forename: Richard S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Virginia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rauh
authors.forename: Larry L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Needham
authors.forename: Deliang
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Megan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Niedzwiecki
authors.forename: Richard Y
authors.initials: RY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Frederica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Perera
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development / Q000187:drug effects; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry; D005411:Flame Retardants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity*; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers / Q000097:blood* / Q000633:toxicity*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007360:Intelligence / Q000187:drug effects; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D009420:Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development*; D009519:New York City; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000523:psychology; D047851:September 11 Terrorist Attacks
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D005411:Flame Retardants; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers