title: Prenatal exposure to perfluroalkyl substances and children's IQ: The Taiwan maternal and infant cohort study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are a group of fluorinated organic substances that are widely used in consumer products and are often detectable in human tissues. Human studies on prenatal exposure to PFASs and neurodevelopment in children are few and inconsistent.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the Taiwan Maternal and Infant Cohort Study, we collected serum samples from pregnant women during the third trimester and measured concentrations of 9 PFASs using a high performance liquid chromatography system. A subsample of their children was assessed with full scale intelligence quotient (FSIQ), verbal IQ (VIQ) and performance IQ (PIQ) at both age 5 (n=120) and 8 years (n=120). We used multivariate linear regression models to examine prenatal PFAS exposure in relation to IQ scores at each age period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Prenatal perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnDA) concentrations were inversely associated with children's PIQ scores at age 5 years, with an adjusted coefficient (β) of -1.6 (95% confidence interval [CI]: (-3.0, -0.2). When children reached 8 years, most of the prenatal PFASs showed inverse association with children's FSIQ, VIQ and PIQ scores. Among them, prenatal perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) reached significance. Children with higher prenatal PFNA levels had lower VIQ with an adjusted β of -2.1 (95% CI: -3.9, -0.2).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found two prenatal PFAS exposure, both long-chain PFASs, in association with decreased IQ test scores in children. Our findings suggest more studies on long-chain PFASs and children's neurodevelopment.
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences/National Institute of Health, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA; Carter Consulting, Inc., Atlanta, GA 30345, USA.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences/National Institute of Health, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA.
authors.forename: Walter J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Rogan
authors.affiliation: Department of Special Education, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hsin-Yi
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Occupational Medicine and Industrial Hygiene, National Taiwan University College of Public Health, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Public Health, National Taiwan University College of Public Health, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Pau-Chung
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung City, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Pen-Hua
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Su
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung City, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hsiao-Yen
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences/National Institute of Health, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA; Division of Environmental Health and Occupational Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli, Taiwan; Department of Public Health, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: slwang@nhri.org.tw.
authors.forename: Shu-Li
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development / Q000187:drug effects*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006845:Hydrocarbons, Fluorinated / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007360:Intelligence / Q000187:drug effects*; D007361:Intelligence Tests; D008297:Male; D018811:Maternal Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D013624:Taiwan
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D006845:Hydrocarbons, Fluorinated
keywords: Children; IQ; Perfluoroalkyl substances; Prenatal exposure