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Pesticide Exposure, Intelligence and Children: Preliminary ResultsPatricia Moulton, Ph.D. & Thomas Petros, Ph.D.

Earth Day Forum: Pesticides in Children

Winnipeg, Canada

April 22, 2006

Funding provided by the National Institute of Environmental and Health Science

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Center for Rural Health

• Established in 1980, at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Grand Forks, ND

• Focuses on:– Education, Training, & Resource Awareness– Community Development & Technical

Assistance– Native American Health– Rural Health Workforce– Rural Health Research– Rural Health Policy

• Web site: http://medicine.nodak.edu/crh

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Pesticide Research TeamUND Faculty CDC Pesticide Laboratory PhlebotomistsThomas Petros Dana Barr Sandie AntonsonPatricia Moulton Charles Dodson Kristi GroveRic Ferraro Ralph Whitehead Tara JohnsoSally Pyle Dawn KoryntaSue Offutt Naomi SterfSteve Hawthorne Tara WaldalRuth Paur

Graduate Students Undergraduate StudentsHolly Dannewitz Cassandra LeeMatt Garlinghouse Silje LynneShyla Muse Ashley OlsonMatthew Myrvik Bethany ReuterAnna Marie Carlson Christine WegnerJason Douglas Catherine WoellPatrick KerrKaryn PlummKristi SatherCaitlin SchultzJen Short

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What are Pesticides?• Herbicides• Insecticides• Rodenticides• Fungicides

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Pesticide Exposure and

Cognitive Ability in Children

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Objectives of Current Study

1. Examine the impact of chronic routine exposure to pesticides on cognitive and motor performance in children between 7 and 12 years of age, including memory performance, executive function performance, motor performance, and performance on school-related achievement tests.

2. Measure the concentration of several pesticides and cholinesterase in the blood or urine in children between 7 and 12 years of age and examine associations between pesticide and cholinesterase concentration and cognitive and motor performance.

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Red River Valley

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Pesticides in North Dakota

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Participants

Pesticide Group= 64 children and their parents living on or next to an active farm or field

Control Group= 64 Children and their parents living at least one mile from an active farm or field

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Height and WeightBlood and Urine- pesticides, cholinesterase, trace minerals

Motor Cognitive

Grooved Pegboard Test Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-IVBenton Visual Retention Test California Verbal Learning Test for ChildrenFinger Tapping Test Verbal Fluency TestHand-eye Coordination Test Continuous Performance Test

Wisconsin Card Sorting TestWechsler Individual Achievement Test- 2nd

ed- Reading & Listening Comprehension

Measurements- Children

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Measurements- Parents

Cognitive Behavioral

Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-III Child Behavior ChecklistVocabulary & Block Design ADHD Rating Scale-IV

Nutritional Status Developmental

NIH Diet History Questionnaire Tanner Pubertal Development TestFood Security module Developmental Milestones24-Hour Dietary Recall

Environmental

Pesticide use and exposure questionnaireSurveys on family and child medical history, sleep, occupation, income, education level

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Measurements- Teachers

Behavioral

Teacher Report Form for Child Behavior ChecklistTeacher Report Form for ADHD Rating Scale-IV

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Preliminary Results

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Child Demographics

9.22 9.44

3.39 3.56

02468

1012

Aver

a

Age Grade

Pesticide Control

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Cholinesterase Concentrations

4.38 4.253.68

2.57 2.942.03

0

1

2

3

4

5

U/m

AChE PChE*

Pesticide Control Adult Blood Bank Donors

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Child Full-Scale IQ

98.38103.64

859095

100105110115

Full Scale IQ*

Pesticide Control

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Child IQ Composite Scores

97.87105.23

103.68105.66

97.36100.07

94.1797.52

85 90 95 100 105 110 115

Verbal Comprehension Index**

Perceptual Reasoning Index

Working Memory Index

Processing Speed Index

Pesticide Control

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Verbal Comprehension Scores

9.6711.17

9.7510.72

9.8611.01

5 7 9 11 13 15

Scaled Score

Similarities*

Vocabulary

Comprehension*

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Perceptual Reasoning Scores

10.6410.96

11.0310.88

10.4710.97

5 7 9 11 13 15

Scaled Scores

Block Design

Picture Concepts

MatrixReasoning

Pesticide Control

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Working Memory Scores

9.669.69

9.710.54

5 7 9 11 13 15

Scaled Scores

Digit Span

Letter-NumberSequence

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Processing Speed Scores

8.558.72

9.6110.54

5 7 9 11 13 15

Scaled Scores

Coding

Symbol Search

Pesticide Control

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Parents Estimated Full Scale IQ

108.06 107.05

85

9095

100105110115

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Exposure Reduction Strategies

• Get information:– National Pesticide Information Center at

http://npic.orst.edu– Toxtown at http://toxtown.nlm.nih.gov– Toxicology Data Network at

http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/

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• Co-exist by using universal precautions and preventing contact between chemicals and children. – Removing clothing and shoes that have

been exposed prior to entering house.– Don’t wash exposed clothes with

children’s.– Wear protective equipment during

application.

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• Replace chemicals with safer ones or use toxic chemicals as a last resort. – Use LPM strategies to reduce overall

pesticide use. – Use the lowest level of DEET spray or an

alternative for use as a mosquito repellent on children.

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• Follow manufacturer’s instructions to help reduce overall exposure.– How long after application before

children/pets/adults should be on lawn or in field?

– Where should you apply mosquito repellent and how long should it stay in contact with skin?

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For more information contact:

Center for Rural HealthUniversity of North Dakota

School of Medicine and Health SciencesGrand Forks, ND 58202-9037

Tel: (701) 777-3848

Fax: (701) 777-6779

http://medicine.nodak.edu/crh