Prenatal manganese exposure and neurodevelopmental effects at 1 year of age in the INMA cohort (Spain)

Abstract

TPS 631: Metals and health 1, Johan Friso Foyer, Floor 1, August 27, 2019, 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM Background/Aim: Manganese (Mn) is an essential element for humans, its main source being the diet. Some epidemiological studies have found that a prenatal excess of Mn could negatively affect neuropsychological development during infancy. However, the evidence is inconclusive and the shape of this relationship has been scarcely evaluated. The aim of this study was to explore the association between maternal Mn concentrations and child neuropsychological development assessed at 1 year of age. Methods: Study subjects were 1179 mother–child pairs from two Spanish areas (Valencia and Gipuzkoa) of the INMA (Environment and Childhood) study (recruitment: 2003-2008). Mn was measured in serum samples collected during the first trimester of pregnancy. Children’s neuropsychological development was assessed at around 12–14 months of age using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development (BSID), composed of mental and psychomotor scales. Sociodemographic, lifestyle and dietary information was collected through questionnaires during pregnancy and during the child’s first year of life. Multivariate linear regression models were built. Generalised additive models were used to assess the shape of the relation between prenatal exposure to Mn and the neuropsychological test. Results: The geometric mean and 95% confidence interval of maternal serum Mn was 1.50 (1.48–1.53) μg/L. Levels of Mn were higher among working mothers and in those with a higher consumption of nuts. No statistically significant association was observed between Mn and the BSID scales. The best shape describing the relationship between Mn and the Bayley scales was a linear relation for both scales. Conclusions: Maternal serum Mn levels in our population are similar to those observed in other European populations. Results of the present study suggested that early prenatal levels of Mn did not affect neuropsychological development during the first year after birth. Funding: MS15/0025, FI17/00260, FIS16/1288, FIS17/00663, FISPI06/0867, FISPI09/00090, FISPI13/22187, Basque Government 2015111065.