Grantee Research Project Results
2010 Progress Report: CHAMACOS Cohort Project: Pesticides and PBDE on Neurobehavior and Puberty
EPA Grant Number: R834513C001Subproject: this is subproject number 001 , established and managed by the Center Director under grant R834513
(EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
Center: Center for Research on Early Childhood Exposure and Development in Puerto Rico
Center Director: Alshawabkeh, Akram
Title: CHAMACOS Cohort Project: Pesticides and PBDE on Neurobehavior and Puberty
Investigators: Eskenazi, Brenda
Institution: University of California - Berkeley
EPA Project Officer: Hahn, Intaek
Project Period: August 1, 2009 through July 31, 2014 (Extended to July 31, 2017)
Project Period Covered by this Report: August 1, 2010 through May 31,2011
RFA: Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Research Centers (with NIEHS) (2009) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Children's Health , Human Health
Objective:
This study directly addresses worldwide concerns that changes in onset of sexual maturation may be related to endocrine disruptors in the environment and fills a large data gap on boys. It also addresses concerns that exposure to DDT/E, PBDEs and Mn may compromise neurodevelopment.
Exposure to these chemicals is widespread. PBDEs have been detected in 97% of the U.S. population. Exposure to background levels of DDE also is ubiquitous in the United States and exposure to DDT can be very high in developing countries where DDT is increasingly used for malaria control. In the United States, exposure to Mn occurs from industrial sources, but little research has been conducted on agricultural sources, even though approximately 9 million pounds of the manganese-containing fungicides mancozeb and maneb are applied annually in the United States. These exposures may be particularly relevant in agricultural communities in California that have the potential for high exposure to all three compounds.
Animal studies suggest that PBDEs, DDT/E and Mn may impact both neurodevelopment and pubertal development, but there have only been a limited number of human studies. This study will fill important data gaps in our knowledge of the health effects of these widespread exposures.
In Project A (R834513C001), we are examining the association of DDT, Mn and PBDEs with neurodevelopment and onset of puberty in boys in the CHAMACOS cohort.
The specific aims of Project A have not changed this year.
- To maintain and expand the CHAMACOS cohort as children begin the critical transition to puberty, assessing neurodevelopment and pubertal development in 300 boys from 9 to 13 years of age.
- To determine whether prenatal and childhood exposure to DDT/E, PBDEs and Mn are associated with neurobehavioral functioning at age 9, 10½ and 12 years.
- To determine whether prenatal and childhood exposure to DDT/E, PBDEs and Mn are associated with timing of pubertal development in boys between age 9 and 13 years.
- To determine whether prenatal and childhood exposure to DDT/E, PBDEs and Mn are associated with hormone levels in boys at age 12.
Progress Summary:
(Note: This report covers the project period 8/1/2010-5/31/2010)
To maintain and expand the CHAMACOS cohort as children begin the critical transition to puberty, assessing neurodevelopment and pubertal development in 300 boys from 9 to 13 years of age.
We have completed the 9-year-old visits with 161 boys from the original CHAMACOS cohort (CHAM1), exceeding our goal of 150. To date, we have completed 9-year visits with 102 new enrollees (CHAM2) and hope to reach our goal of 140-150 boys by the end of August. Enrollment of new CHAM2 participants has been slower than anticipated. In response, we have conducted several large recruiting campaigns, including through schools, health centers, health fairs, other locations throughout the community, and by word of mouth through existing CHAM1 participants. Many families have been screened as eligible and have expressed interest in participating. However, it has become difficult to schedule appointments during the summer growing season as mothers work longer hours during this time. We will be scheduling Saturday and Sunday visits throughout the summer to address this problem. Reaching our goal of 300 boys in the cohort is currently a top priority.
In addition to recruiting new CHAM2 participants, multiple other data collection activities are currently under way. CHAMACOS staff is simultaneously finishing the 9-year visits, conducting interim visits at 9¾ years to assess growth and pubertal development, conducting the 10½-year visits, and beginning the interim visits at age 11¼. The 12-year visits will begin in February, 2012. We have been able to keep up with all visit activities, so that most boys are seen within 2 weeks of reaching the target age. As of May 15, 263 boys have completed the 9-year visit, 140 the 9¾-year visit, and 59 the 10½-year visit.
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To determine whether prenatal and childhood exposure to DDT/E, PBDEs and Mn are associated with neurobehavioral functioning at age 9, 10½ and 12 years.
Neurodevelopmental assessments at age 9 are almost finished and we are currently gathering neurodevelopmental data at age 10½. The test battery at age 10½ takes about 2½ hours and focuses on general cognition (WISC-IV), memory (California Verbal Learning Task), fine motor skills (Luria-Nebraska Motor Functions Scale), and spatial orientation and mental rotation (Morris Virtual Water Maze, WRAMVA Matching subtest). We are assessing behavior and emotional health using the BASC-II which is asked of the mother. The child also answers a subset of questions from the Child BASC-II. Each child examiner regularly videotapes assessments, which are reviewed for quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) purposes.
Blood samples collected at age 9 from the CHAM1 boys and mothers have been sent to CDC in Atlanta, GA, for analysis of DDT and PBDEs and to University of California-Santa Cruz for analysis of Mn. Samples from CHAM2 will be sent in early fall. Prenatal DDT/E and PBDE levels in new CHAM2 mothers will be back-extrapolated and will not be available until Year 3. Measurement of prenatal Mn levels in deciduous teeth is currently in progress.
Data entry of the 9-year neurodevelopmental data is scheduled for Fall 2011. Analyses of DDT/E, PBDE and Mn with neurodevelopment are scheduled to begin in Year 3 and continue throughout the remainder of the project period.
To determine whether prenatal and childhood exposure to DDT/E, PBDEs and Mn are associated with timing of pubertal development in boys between age 9 and 13 years.
We are gathering data on pubertal stage every 9 months. Preliminary analysis of early data suggests that about one-third of boys have begun puberty by age 9. To date, we have assessed pubertal stage on 250 boys at age 9, 140 at age 9¾, and 58 at age 10½. Quality assurance has been ongoing, with the three Child Examiners showing perfect agreement with regard to Tanner stage in QA/QC review. Data analyses to examine possible associations between exposure and pubertal development outcomes are scheduled to begin in Year 3 and continue throughout the remainder of the project period.
- To determine whether prenatal and childhood exposure to DDT/E, PBDEs and Mn are associated with hormone levels in boys at age 12.
Work on this aim will begin in February 2012, when we start the 12-year visits.
Journal Articles on this Report : 17 Displayed | Download in RIS Format
| Other subproject views: | All 148 publications | 76 publications in selected types | All 76 journal articles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other center views: | All 697 publications | 170 publications in selected types | All 169 journal articles |
Supplemental Keywords:
RFA, Scientific Discipline, Health, INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION, Health Risk Assessment, Biochemistry, Children's Health, Environmental Policy, Biology, farmworkers, pesticide exposure, flame retardants, PBDE, children's vulnerablity, neurochemical effects, harmful environmental agents, biological markers, agricultural communityRelevant Websites:
CERCH: Center for Environmental Research & Children's Health ExitProgress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractMain Center Abstract and Reports:
R834513 Center for Research on Early Childhood Exposure and Development in Puerto Rico Subprojects under this Center: (EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
R834513C001 CHAMACOS Cohort Project: Pesticides and PBDE on Neurobehavior and Puberty
R834513C002 Project B: Exposure Project: Mn, DDT/E and PBDE Exposure to Farmworker Children
R834513C003 Epigenetics Project
R834513C004 Community Outreach and Translation Core
The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.
Project Research Results
- Final Report
- 2016 Progress Report
- 2015 Progress Report
- 2014 Progress Report
- 2013 Progress Report
- 2012 Progress Report
- 2011 Progress Report
- Original Abstract
76 journal articles for this subproject
Main Center: R834513
697 publications for this center
169 journal articles for this center