Time after a peak-pesticide use period and neurobehavior among ecuadorian children and adolescents: The ESPINA study

Abstract

BackgroundLimited evidence exists regarding transient neurobehavioral alterations associated with episodic pesticide exposures or agricultural pesticide spray periods. We previously observed that children examined soon after a pesticide spray period (the Mother's Day flower harvest [MDH]) had lower neurobehavioral performance than children examined later. The present study builds on our previous work by incorporating longitudinal analyses from childhood through adolescence. MethodsWe examined participants in agricultural communities in Ecuador (ESPINA study) during three periods: July–August 2008 (N = 313, 4-9-year-olds); April 2016 (N = 330, 11–17-year-olds); July–October 2016 (N = 535, 11–17-year-olds). Participants were examined primarily during a period of low floricultural production. Neurobehavior was assessed using the NEPSY-II (domains: Attention/Inhibitory Control, Language, Memory/Learning, Visuospatial Processing, and Social Perception). Linear regression and generalized linear mixed models were used to examine cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between examination date (days) after the MDH and neurobehavioral outcomes, adjusting for demographic, anthropometric, and socio-economic variables. ResultsParticipants were examined between 63 and 171 days after the MDH. Mean neurobehavioral domain scores ranged from 1.0 to 17.0 (SDrange = 2.1–3.1) in 2008 and 1.0 to 15.5 (SDrange = 2.0–2.3) in 2016. In cross-sectional analyses (2016 only; N = 523), we found significant or borderline positive associations between time after the MDH and Attention/Inhibitory Control (difference/10 days [β] = 0.22 points [95% CI = 0.03, 0.41]) and Language (β = 0.16 points [95% CI = −0.03, 0.34]). We also observed positive, longitudinal associations (2008–2016) with Attention/Inhibitory Control (β = 0.19 points [95% CI = 0.04, 0.34]) through 112 days after the harvest and Visuospatial Processing (β = 3.56, β-quadratic = −0.19 [95% CI: −0.29, −0.09]) through 92 days. ConclusionsChildren examined sooner after the harvest had lower neurobehavioral performance compared to children examined later, suggesting that peak pesticide spray seasons may transiently affect neurobehavior followed by recovery during low pesticide-use periods. Reduction of pesticide exposure potential for children during peak pesticide-use periods is advised.