title: [Organophosphate pesticides and neuropsychological and motor effects in the Maule Region, Chile].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate organophosphate pesticide exposure and neuropsychological and motor performance in agricultural and non-agricultural workers in the Maule Region in Chile.
  
  
  METHODS
  Analytic cross-sectional study in 93 exposed farm workers and 84 unexposed non-agricultural workers. A battery of four neuropsychological tests was administered together with a neuro-motor physical examination.
  
  
  RESULTS
  On the Weschler adult intelligence scale (WAIS-IV), exposed agricultural workers exhibited poorer performance than non-agricultural workers in verbal comprehension (β=-3.2; p=0.034) and processing speed (β=-4.4; p=0.036) and in the full scale (β=-4; p=0.016), as well as in discrimination sensitivity (β=1, p=0,009), adjusted by years of schooling and/or age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We suggest the development of policies and regulations for the control, sale and use of organophosphate pesticides and intervention strategies on safety measures aimed at the exposed population.
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile. Electronic address: mtmunoz@ucm.cl.
authors.forename: María Teresa
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Muñoz-Quezada
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile; Programa de Doctorado en Psicología, Facultad de Ciencias Sociales, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Boris
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lucero
authors.affiliation: Escuela de Salud Pública, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Verónica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Iglesias
authors.affiliation: Escuela de Salud Pública, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: María Pía
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Muñoz
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile.
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Achú
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cornejo
authors.affiliation: Secretaría Ministerial de Salud de la Región del Maule, Gobierno de Chile, Talca, Chile.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Concha
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grillo
authors.affiliation: Hospital Regional de Talca, Talca, Chile.
authors.forename: Ana María
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Brito
mesh_terms: D000382:Agricultural Workers' Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D002677:Chile; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects; D032882:Comprehension / Q000187:drug effects*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010755:Organophosphates / Q000633:toxicity*; D010575:Pesticides / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D010755:Organophosphates; D010575:Pesticides
keywords: Agricultural workers; Habilidades motoras; Motor skills; Neuropsychological tests; Organofosforados; Organophosphates; Pesticides; Plaguicidas; Pruebas neuropsicológicas; Trabajadores agrícolas