Babies exposed to organophosphate pesticides in the womb have an increased risk of developing attention disorders when they get older, US scientists warn in the pages of Environmental Health Perspectives.
The authors of the study found that the higher the level of organophosphorus metabolites in pregnant women, the greater the risk of learning and attention problems in their babies (5-year-olds, especially boys). Earlier studies have linked the exposure of school-age children to pesticides with the risk of developing symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The latest research proves that organophosphorus pesticides influence the development of the nervous system of children, especially in the womb.
The study included over 300 children of mothers from agricultural lands, which was associated with higher than average exposure to pesticides. Nevertheless, as emphasized by the authors of the research, pesticides are widely used in agriculture and present in food, so the results of the work are a warning to everyone, especially pregnant mothers. Scientists advise pregnant women to thoroughly wash their fruit and vegetables before eating.
Organophosphate pesticides disrupt the action of neurotransmitters, especially acetylcholine, which plays a key role in the processes of attention and short-term working memory. The researchers also found that children with lowered levels of the enzyme that breaks down toxic pesticide metabolites have delays in the development of the nervous system, and that people with one of the variants of the gene encoding this enzyme are more susceptible to the toxic effects of phospho-boundary pesticides. (PAP)