Abstract
Recent evidence suggests that fluoride (F) and arsenic (As) may adversely affect intelligence quotient (IQ) scores. We explore the association between exposure to F and As in drinking water and intelligence in children. Three rural communities in Mexico with contrasting levels of F and As in drinking water were studied: Moctezuma (F 0.8+/-1.4 mg/L; As 5.8+/-1.3 microg/L); Salitral (F 5.3+/-0.9 mg/L; As 169+/-0.9 microg/L) and 5 de Febrero (F 9.4+/-0.9 mg/L; As 194+/-1.3 microg/L). The final study sample consisted of 132 children from 6 to 10 years old. After controlling for confounders, an inverse association was observed between F in urine and Performance, Verbal, and Full IQ scores (beta values = -13, -15.6, -16.9, respectively). Similar results were observed for F in drinking water (beta values = -6.7, -11.2, -10.2, respectively) and As in drinking water (beta values= -4.30, -6.40, -6.15, respectively). The p-values for all cases were < 0.001. A significant association was observed between As in urine and Full IQ scores (beta = -5.72, p = 0.003). These data suggest that children exposed to either F or As have increased risks of reduced IQ scores.
Highlights
Recent evidence suggests that fluoride (F) and arsenic (As) may adversely affect intelligence quotient (IQ) scores
We found that exposure to F in urine was associated with reduced Performance, Verbal, and Full IQ scores before and after adjusting for confounders (β values = -13.0, -15.6, and -16.9, respectively; all p-values < 0.001)
In one study conducted in 1995, mean IQ scores were compared between children living in areas with different prevalence of dental fluorosis
Summary
Recent evidence suggests that fluoride (F) and arsenic (As) may adversely affect intelligence quotient (IQ) scores. We explore the association between exposure to F and As in drinking water and intelligence in children. Three rural communities in Mexico with contrasting levels of F and As in drinking water were studied: Moctezuma (F 0.8±1.4mg/L; As 5.8±1.3μg/L); Salitral (F 5.3±0.9mg/L; As 169±0.9μg/L) and 5 de Febrero (F 9.4±0.9mg/L; As 194±1.3μg/L). After controlling for confounders, an inverse association was observed between F in urine and Performance, Verbal, and Full IQ scores (β values = -13, -15.6, -16.9, respectively). A significant association was observed between As in urine and Full IQ scores (β = -5.72, p = 0.003). These data suggest that children exposed to either F or As have increased risks of reduced IQ scores
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