title: Air pollution is associated with brainstem auditory nuclei pathology and delayed brainstem auditory evoked potentials.
abstract: We assessed brainstem inflammation in children exposed to air pollutants by comparing brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEPs) and blood inflammatory markers in children age 96.3±8.5 months from highly polluted (n=34) versus a low polluted city (n=17). The brainstems of nine children with accidental deaths were also examined. Children from the highly polluted environment had significant delays in wave III (t(50)=17.038; p<0.0001) and wave V (t(50)=19.730; p<0.0001) but no delay in wave I (p=0.548). They also had significantly longer latencies than controls for interwave intervals I-III, III-V, and I-V (all t(50)>7.501; p<0.0001), consisting with delayed central conduction time of brainstem neural transmission. Highly exposed children showed significant evidence of inflammatory markers and their auditory and vestibular nuclei accumulated α synuclein and/or β amyloid(1-42). Medial superior olive neurons, critically involved in BAEPs, displayed significant pathology. Children's exposure to urban air pollution increases their risk for auditory and vestibular impairment.
authors: Instituto Nacional de Pediatría, Mexico City 04530, Mexico. lilian.calderon-garciduenas@umontana.edu
authors: Lilian
authors: L
authors: Calderón-Garcidueñas
authors: Amedeo
authors: A
authors: D'Angiulli
authors: Randy J
authors: RJ
authors: Kulesza
authors: Ricardo
authors: R
authors: Torres-Jardón
authors: Norma
authors: N
authors: Osnaya
authors: Lina
authors: L
authors: Romero
authors: Sheyla
authors: S
authors: Keefe
authors: Lou
authors: L
authors: Herritt
authors: Diane M
authors: DM
authors: Brooks
authors: Jose
authors: J
authors: Avila-Ramirez
authors: Ricardo
authors: R
authors: Delgado-Chávez
authors: Humberto
authors: H
authors: Medina-Cortina
authors: Luis Oscar
authors: LO
authors: González-González
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000502:physiology; D002648:Child; D016057:Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico; D011446:Prospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers