Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in breast milk and neuropsychological development in infants.
BACKGROUND
There is increasing interest in the potential effects of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) on children's neuropsychological development, but only a few small studies have evaluated such effects.


OBJECTIVE
Our goal was to examine the association between PBDE concentrations in colostrum and infant neuropsychological development and to assess the influence of other persistent organic pollutants (POPs) on such association.


METHODS
We measured concentrations of PBDEs and other POPs in colostrum samples of 290 women recruited in a Spanish birth cohort. We tested children for mental and psychomotor development with the Bayley Scales of Infant Development at 12-18 months of age. We analyzed the sum of the seven most common PBDE congeners (BDEs 47, 99, 100, 153, 154, 183, 209) and each congener separately.


RESULTS
Increasing Σ7PBDEs concentrations showed an association of borderline statistical significance with decreasing mental development scores (β per log ng/g lipid = -2.25; 95% CI: -4.75, 0.26). BDE-209, the congener present in highest concentrations, appeared to be the main congener responsible for this association (β = -2.40, 95% CI: -4.79, -0.01). There was little evidence for an association with psychomotor development. After adjustment for other POPs, the BDE-209 association with mental development score became slightly weaker (β = -2.10, 95% CI: -4.66, 0.46).


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest an association between increasing PBDE concentrations in colostrum and a worse infant mental development, particularly for BDE-209, but require confirmation in larger studies. The association, if causal, may be due to unmeasured BDE-209 metabolites, including OH-PBDEs (hydroxylated PBDEs), which are more toxic, more stable, and more likely to cross the placenta and to easily reach the brain than BDE-209.
Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. mgascon@creal.cat
Mireia
M
Gascon
Marta
M
Fort
David
D
Martínez
Anne-Elie
AE
Carsin
Joan
J
Forns
Joan O
JO
Grimalt
Loreto
L
Santa Marina
Nerea
N
Lertxundi
Jordi
J
Sunyer
Martine
M
Vrijheid
D000328:Adult; D002657:Child Development / Q000187:drug effects*; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers / Q000633:toxicity*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007804:Language Development; D008297:Male; D018811:Maternal Exposure; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000737:chemistry*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000139:chemically induced*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000187:drug effects; D013030:Spain
D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; C086401:pentabromodiphenyl ether