title: In-utero exposure to dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane and cognitive development among infants and school-aged children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) continues to be used for control of infectious diseases in several countries. In-utero exposure to DDT and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) has been associated with developmental and cognitive impairment among children. We examined this association in an historical cohort in which the level of exposure was greater than in previous studies.
  
  
  METHODS
  The association of in-utero DDT and DDE exposure with infant and child neurodevelopment was examined in 1100 subjects in the Collaborative Perinatal Project, a prospective birth cohort enrolling pregnant women from 12 study centers in the United States from 1959 to 1965. Maternal DDT and DDE concentrations were measured in archived serum specimens. Infant mental and motor development was assessed at age 8 months using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development, and child cognitive development was assessed at age 7 years, using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although levels of DDT and DDE were relatively high in this population (median DDT concentration, 8.9 μg/L; DDE, 24.5 μg/L), neither were related to Mental or Psychomotor Development scores on the Bayley Scales nor to Full-Scale Intelligence Quotient at 7 years of age. Categorical analyses showed no evidence of dose- response for either maternal DDT or DDE, and estimates of the association between continuous measures of exposure and neurodevelopment were indistinguishable from 0.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Adverse associations were not observed between maternal serum DDT and DDE concentrations and offspring neurodevelopment at 8 months or 7 years in this cohort.
authors: Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC 27709-2233, USA. todd.jusko@nih.gov
authors: Todd A
authors: TA
authors: Jusko
authors: Mark A
authors: MA
authors: Klebanoff
authors: John W
authors: JW
authors: Brock
authors: Matthew P
authors: MP
authors: Longnecker
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development / Q000187:drug effects*; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects*; D003634:DDT / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity*; D003633:Dichlorodiphenyl Dichloroethylene / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007306:Insecticides / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity*; D007360:Intelligence / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D018811:Maternal Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015233:Models, Statistical; D011247:Pregnancy; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011581:Psychological Tests; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007306:Insecticides; D003633:Dichlorodiphenyl Dichloroethylene; D003634:DDT