Air pollution exposure during pregnancy and childhood and brain morphology in preadolescents
- DOI
- Language of the publication
- English
- Date
- 2020-11-19
- Type
- Article
- Author(s)
- Lubczyńska, Małgorzata J.
- Muetzel, Ryan L.
- El Marroun, Hanan
- Hoek, Gerard
- Kooter, Ingeborg M.
- Thomson, Errol M.
- Hillegers, Manon
- Vernooij, Meike W.
- White, Tonya
- Tiemeier, Henning
- Guxens, Mònica
- Publisher
- Elsevier
Abstract
Background Studies investigating the relationship between exposure to air pollution and brain development using magnetic resonance images are emerging. However, most studies have focused only on prenatal exposures, and have included a limited selection of pollutants. Here, we aim to expand the current knowledge by studying pregnancy and childhood exposure to a wide selection of pollutants, and brain morphology in preadolescents. Methods We used data from 3133 preadolescents from a birth cohort from Rotterdam, the Netherlands (enrollment: 2002–2006). Concentrations of nitrogen oxides, coarse, fine, and ultrafine particles, and composition of fine particles were estimated for participant's home addresses in pregnancy and childhood, using land use regression models. Structural brain images were obtained at age 9–12 years. We assessed the relationships of air pollution exposure, with brain volumes, and surface-based morphometric data, adjusting for socioeconomic and life-style characteristics, using single as well as multi-pollutant approach. Results No associations were observed between air pollution exposures and global volumes of total brain, and cortical and subcortical grey matter. However, we found associations between higher pregnancy and childhood air pollution exposures with smaller corpus callosum, smaller hippocampus, larger amygdala, smaller nucleus accumbens, and larger cerebellum (e.g. -69.2mm3 hippocampal volume [95%CI -129.1 to -9.3] per 1ng/m3 increase in pregnancy exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons). Higher pregnancy exposure to air pollution was associated with smaller cortical thickness while higher childhood exposure was associated with predominantly larger cortical surface area. Conclusion Higher pregnancy or childhood exposure to several air pollutants was associated with altered volume of several brain structures, as well as with cortical thickness and surface area. Associations showed some similarity to delayed maturation and effects of early-life stress.
Plain language summary
Health Canada conducts studies to assess potential health impacts of exposure to air pollutants. Emerging evidence suggests that the prenatal and early childhood period is associated with sensitivity to adverse health impacts of exposure to air pollutants. In this study, scientists in Spain, the Netherlands, and Canada collaborated to examine relationships between early life exposures and brain morphology in preadolescents. Using brain imaging techniques, the researchers found that early-life exposure to air pollutants was associated with changes in the size of various parts of the brain. These changes were broadly consistent with delayed brain maturation and with known impacts of early-life stress. This study supports the notion that early-life exposure to air pollution can impact brain development, adding to evidence that the perinatal period may be an important vulnerability window for effects of environmental contaminants.
Subject
- Health,
- Health and safety