TY - JOUR
T1 - Arsenic exposure and cognitive performance in Mexican Schoolchildren
AU - Rosado, Jorge L.
AU - Ronquillo, Dolores
AU - Kordas, Katarzyna
AU - Rojas, Olga
AU - Alatorre, Javier
AU - Lopez, Patricia
AU - Garcia-Vargas, Gonzalo
AU - del Carmen Caamaño, María
AU - Cebrián, Mariano E.
AU - Stoltzfus, Rebecca J.
PY - 2007/9
Y1 - 2007/9
N2 - Background: Previous studies have suggested an effect of high arsenic concentration on cognitive and neurobehavioral function in humans. Objective: Our goal was to identify demographic and nutritional factors that are associated with As exposure and the influence of this exposure on cognitive function in school-age children. Methods: We recruited 602 children 6-8 years of age living within 3.5 km of a metallurgic smelter complex in the city of Torreón, Mexico, to participate in a cross-sectional evaluation. Of these, 591 had complete anthropometry, iron, and zinc status by biochemical measurements in serum, blood lead concentration (PbB), and arsenic in urine (UAs), and 557 completed several cognitive performance tests. Results: The mean for UAs was 58.1 ± 33.2 μg/L; 52% of the children had UAs concentrations > 50 μg/L, and 50.7% of children had PbB ≥ 10 μg/dL. UAs concentration was associated with low socioeconomic status. Nutritional status indicators were not related to UAs concentrations. Linear and logistic regressions adjusted for hemoglobin concentration, PbB, and sociodemographic confounders showed a significant inverse association between UAs and Visual-Spatial Abilities with Figure Design, the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, the WISC-RM Digit Span subscale, Visual Search, and Letter Sequencing Tests (p < 0.05). Boys excreted significantly more UAs (p < 0.05) and were affected on different cognitive areas than girls. Conclusions: Children living in an area contaminated with both As and lead showed that As contamination can affect children's cognitive development, independent of any effect of lead.
AB - Background: Previous studies have suggested an effect of high arsenic concentration on cognitive and neurobehavioral function in humans. Objective: Our goal was to identify demographic and nutritional factors that are associated with As exposure and the influence of this exposure on cognitive function in school-age children. Methods: We recruited 602 children 6-8 years of age living within 3.5 km of a metallurgic smelter complex in the city of Torreón, Mexico, to participate in a cross-sectional evaluation. Of these, 591 had complete anthropometry, iron, and zinc status by biochemical measurements in serum, blood lead concentration (PbB), and arsenic in urine (UAs), and 557 completed several cognitive performance tests. Results: The mean for UAs was 58.1 ± 33.2 μg/L; 52% of the children had UAs concentrations > 50 μg/L, and 50.7% of children had PbB ≥ 10 μg/dL. UAs concentration was associated with low socioeconomic status. Nutritional status indicators were not related to UAs concentrations. Linear and logistic regressions adjusted for hemoglobin concentration, PbB, and sociodemographic confounders showed a significant inverse association between UAs and Visual-Spatial Abilities with Figure Design, the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, the WISC-RM Digit Span subscale, Visual Search, and Letter Sequencing Tests (p < 0.05). Boys excreted significantly more UAs (p < 0.05) and were affected on different cognitive areas than girls. Conclusions: Children living in an area contaminated with both As and lead showed that As contamination can affect children's cognitive development, independent of any effect of lead.
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U2 - 10.1289/ehp.9961
DO - 10.1289/ehp.9961
M3 - Article
C2 - 17805430
AN - SCOPUS:34748813747
SN - 0091-6765
VL - 115
SP - 1371
EP - 1375
JO - Environmental health perspectives
JF - Environmental health perspectives
IS - 9
ER -