title: The relationships between pesticide metabolites and neurobehavioral test performance in the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
abstract: Regression analysis was used to estimate and test for relationships between urinary pesticide metabolites and neurobehavioral test performance in adults, 20 to 59 years old, participating in the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The 12 pesticide metabolites included 2 naphthols, 8 phenols, a phenoxyacetic acid, and a pyridinol. The 3 neurobehavioral tests included in the survey were simple reaction time, symbol-digit substitution, and serial digit learning. As the 2,4-dichlorophenol, 2,5-dichlorophenol, and the pentachlorophenol concentrations increased, performance on the serial digit learning test improved. As the 2,5-dichlorophenol concentration increased, performance on the symbol-digit substitution test improved. At low concentrations, the parent compounds of these metabolites may act at acetylcholine and γ-aminobutyric acid synapses in the central nervous system to improve neurobehavioral test performance.
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH 45226, USA. erk3@cdc.gov
authors.forename: Edward F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Krieg
mesh_terms: D015084:2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000652:urine; D000328:Adult; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000187:drug effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009284:Naphthols / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000652:urine; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D010575:Pesticides / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000652:urine; D010636:Phenols / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000652:urine; D011581:Psychological Tests; D011728:Pyridones / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000652:urine; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects*; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D009284:Naphthols; D010575:Pesticides; D010636:Phenols; D011728:Pyridones; D015084:2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid; C012587:3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol