Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate exposure is negatively correlated with trait anxiety in girls but not with trait anxiety in boys or anxiety-like behavior in male mice.
The authors aimed to study the effects of postnatal exposure to phthalate on anxiety-like behavior in mice and anxiety proneness in children. Male Imprinting Control Region (ICR) mice aged 4 weeks were administered 20 to 540 mg/kg of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) or vehicle and assessed in the Open Field Test. A group of 277 children aged 8-11 years (150 males) was recruited from South Korea. A cross-sectional examination of urinary DEHP and dibutylphthalate metabolite concentrations was conducted, and the children were scored on the Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children (TAIC). DEHP metabolite concentrations in the urine were significantly and negatively correlated with TAIC scores in the female population but not in the male population. There were no significant group differences in the percentage of distance moved or time spent in the central area in male mice treated with DEHP or vehicle. Our results suggest a sex-dependent effect of DEHP on anxiety proneness in childhood.
Department of Psychiatry, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Subin
S
Park
Uimyung Research Institute for Neuroscience, Sahmyook University, Seoul, Korea.
Jae Hoon
JH
Cheong
Department of Psychiatry, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Soo-Churl
SC
Cho
Department of Psychiatry, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Jae-Won
JW
Kim
Department of Psychiatry, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Min-Sup
MS
Shin
Department of Psychiatry, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Hee Jeong
HJ
Yoo
Department of Psychiatry, Chung Ang University, College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Doug Hyun
DH
Han
Department of Psychiatry, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea kbn1@snu.ac.kr.
Bung-Nyun
BN
Kim
D000818:Animals; D001007:Anxiety / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000652:urine*; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004051:Diethylhexyl Phthalate / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D010968:Plasticizers / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012727:Sex Characteristics
D010968:Plasticizers; D004051:Diethylhexyl Phthalate
anxiety; children; phthalate