title: Airborne copper exposure in school environments associated with poorer motor performance and altered basal ganglia.
abstract: Children are more vulnerable to the effects of environmental elements. A variety of air pollutants are among the identified factors causing neural damage at toxic concentrations. It is not obvious, however, to what extent the tolerated high levels of air pollutants are able to alter brain development. We have specifically investigated the neurotoxic effects of airborne copper exposure in school environments.
  
  
  
  Speed and consistency of motor response were assessed in 2836 children aged from 8 to 12 years. Anatomical MRI, diffusion tensor imaging, and functional MRI were used to directly test the brain repercussions in a subgroup of 263 children.
  
  
  
  Higher copper exposure was associated with poorer motor performance and altered structure of the basal ganglia. Specifically, the architecture of the caudate nucleus region was less complete in terms of both tissue composition and neural track water diffusion. Functional MRI consistently showed a reciprocal connectivity reduction between the caudate nucleus and the frontal cortex.
  
  
  
  The results establish an association between environmental copper exposure in children and alterations of basal ganglia structure and function.
authors.affiliation: MRI Research Unit Hospital del Mar Barcelona Spain; Centro Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental, CIBERSAM G21 Barcelona Spain.
authors.forename: Jesus
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pujol
authors.affiliation: MRI Research Unit Hospital del Mar Barcelona Spain.
authors.forename: Raquel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fenoll
authors.affiliation: MRI Research Unit Hospital del Mar Barcelona Spain.
authors.forename: Dídac
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Macià
authors.affiliation: MRI Research Unit Hospital del Mar Barcelona Spain.
authors.forename: Gerard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Martínez-Vilavella
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL) Barcelona Catalonia Spain; Pompeu Fabra University Barcelona Catalonia Spain; Ciber on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP) Barcelona Spain.
authors.forename: Mar
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alvarez-Pedrerol
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL) Barcelona Catalonia Spain; Pompeu Fabra University Barcelona Catalonia Spain; Ciber on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP) Barcelona Spain; Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC) Barcelona Catalonia Spain.
authors.forename: Ioar
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Rivas
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL) Barcelona Catalonia Spain; Pompeu Fabra University Barcelona Catalonia Spain; Ciber on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP) Barcelona Spain.
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Forns
authors.affiliation: MRI Research Unit Hospital del Mar Barcelona Spain; Department of Clinical and Health Psychology Autonomous University of Barcelona Barcelona Spain.
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Deus
authors.affiliation: MRI Research Unit Hospital del Mar Barcelona Spain.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Blanco-Hinojo
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC) Barcelona Catalonia Spain.
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Querol
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL) Barcelona Catalonia Spain; Pompeu Fabra University Barcelona Catalonia Spain; Ciber on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP) Barcelona Spain; IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute) Barcelona Catalonia Spain.
authors.forename: Jordi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sunyer
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D001479:Basal Ganglia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002421:Caudate Nucleus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D003300:Copper / Q000633:toxicity*; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D012574:Schools / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D003300:Copper
keywords: Air pollution; brain development; copper; diffusion tensor imaging; fMRI; neurodegenerative disorders