title: Recent versus chronic exposure to particulate matter air pollution in association with neurobehavioral performance in a panel study of primary schoolchildren.
abstract: Children's neuropsychological abilities are in a developmental stage. Recent air pollution exposure and neurobehavioral performance are scarcely studied. In a panel study, we repeatedly administered to each child the following neurobehavioral tests: Stroop Test (selective attention) and Continuous Performance Test (sustained attention), Digit Span Forward and Backward Tests (short-term memory), and Digit-Symbol and Pattern Comparison Tests (visual information processing speed). At school, recent inside classroom particulate matter ≤2.5 or 10μm exposure (PM2.5, PM10) was monitored on each examination day. At the child's residence, recent (same day up to 2days before) and chronic (365days before examination) exposures to PM2.5, PM10 and black carbon (BC) were modeled. Repeated neurobehavioral test performances (n=894) of the children (n=310) reflected slower Stroop Test (p=0.05) and Digit-Symbol Test (p=0.01) performances with increasing recent inside classroom PM2.5 exposure. An interquartile range (IQR) increment in recent residential outdoor PM2.5 exposure was associated with an increase in average latency of 0.087s (SE: ±0.034; p=0.01) in the Pattern Comparison Test. Regarding chronic exposure at residence, an IQR increment of PM2.5 exposure was associated with slower performances in the Continuous Performance (9.45±3.47msec; p=0.007) and Stroop Tests (59.9±26.5msec; p=0.02). Similar results were obtained for PM10 exposure. In essence, we showed differential neurobehavioral changes robustly and adversely associated with recent or chronic ambient exposure to PM air pollution at residence, i.e., with recent exposure for visual information processing speed (Pattern Comparison Test) and with chronic exposure for sustained and selective attention.
authors: Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium.
authors: Nelly D
authors: ND
authors: Saenen
authors: Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium; Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Mol, Belgium.
authors: Eline B
authors: EB
authors: Provost
authors: Department of Neurology, Sint Dimphna Hospital, Geel, Belgium.
authors: Mineke K
authors: MK
authors: Viaene
authors: Belgian Interregional Environment Agency, Brussels, Belgium.
authors: Charlotte
authors: C
authors: Vanpoucke
authors: Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Mol, Belgium.
authors: Wouter
authors: W
authors: Lefebvre
authors: Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium.
authors: Karen
authors: K
authors: Vrijens
authors: Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium; Louvain Centre for Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.
authors: Harry A
authors: HA
authors: Roels
authors: Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium; Department of Public Health & Primary Care, Leuven University, Leuven, Belgium. Electronic address: tim.nawrot@uhasselt.be.
authors: Tim S
authors: TS
authors: Nawrot
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants; D000397:Air Pollution; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D002648:Child; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000187:drug effects; D009624:Noise, Transportation; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000187:drug effects*; D053260:Soot / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis; D057190:Stroop Test
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D052638:Particulate Matter; D053260:Soot
keywords: Air pollution; Children; Neurobehavior; Particulate matter; Repeated measures