Prenatal phthalate exposure and performance on the Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale in a multiethnic birth cohort

Engel, SM; Zhu, C; Berkowitz, GS; Calafat, AM; Silva, MJ; Miodovnik, A; Wolff, MS

HERO ID

673456

Reference Type

Journal Article

Year

2009

Language

English

PMID

19375452

HERO ID 673456
In Press No
Year 2009
Title Prenatal phthalate exposure and performance on the Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale in a multiethnic birth cohort
Authors Engel, SM; Zhu, C; Berkowitz, GS; Calafat, AM; Silva, MJ; Miodovnik, A; Wolff, MS
Journal NeuroToxicology
Volume 30
Issue 4
Page Numbers 522-528
Abstract We investigated the relationship between prenatal maternal urinary concentrations of phthalate metabolites and neonatal behavior in their 295 children enrolled in a multiethnic birth cohort between 1998 and 2002 at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City. Trained examiners administered the Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (BNBAS) to children within 5 days of delivery. We measured metabolites of 7 phthalate esters in maternal urine that was collected between 25 and 40 weeks' gestation. All but two phthalate metabolites were over 95% detectable. We summed metabolites on a molar basis into low and high molecular weight phthalates. We hypothesized the existence of sex-specific effects from phthalate exposure a priori given the hormonal activity of these chemicals. Overall we found few associations between individual phthalate metabolites or their molar sums and most of the BNBAS domains. However, we observed significant sex-phthalate metabolite interactions (p<0.10) for the Orientation and Motor domains and the overall Quality of Alertness score. Among girls, there was a significant linear decline in adjusted mean Orientation score with increasing urinary concentrations of high molecular weight phthalate metabolites (B=-0.37, p=0.02). Likewise, there was a strong linear decline in their adjusted mean Quality of Alertness score (B=-0.48, p<0.01). In addition, boys and girls demonstrated opposite patterns of association between low and high molecular weight phthalate metabolite concentrations and motor performance, with some indication of improved motor performance with increasing concentration of low molecular weight phthalate metabolites among boys. This is the first study to report an association between prenatal phthalate exposure and neurological effects in humans or animals, and as such requires replication.
Doi 10.1016/j.neuro.2009.04.001
Pmid 19375452
Wosid WOS:000268834700003
Url http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0161813X09000837
Is Certified Translation No
Dupe Override No
Comments |WOS:000268834700003
Is Public Yes
Language Text English
Keyword Phthalates; Behavior; Neonatal; Neurodevelopment
Is Qa No
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