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Examining the relationship between chemical/non-chemical stressors and inherent characteristics to explain disparities in children's mental health
Citation:
Nilsen, F. AND N. Tulve. Examining the relationship between chemical/non-chemical stressors and inherent characteristics to explain disparities in children's mental health. 2018 SETAC NA Annual Meeting, Sacramento, CA, November 04 - 08, 2018.
Impact/Purpose:
This work investigated the discrepancies in children's public health data through analysis of chemical and non-chemical stressors, as well as genetic predisposition through systematic review and meta-analysis. We observe that chemical exposures, non-chemical stressors, and inherent characteristics influence children's mental health individually, and synergistically. The existing data highlights the need for interdisciplinary studies examining more than one type of stressor, as well as in depth analysis of individual stressors to better understand the complex interactions described in the literature. This work will aid future studies related to children's mental health through the research gaps identified and the recommendations made to further examine this complex issue.
Description:
Children may be more vulnerable to the combined interactions of chemical and non-chemical stressors from their built, natural, and social environments when compared to adults. Up to 20% of children are diagnosed with a mental illness annually in the United States with a large number not receiving adequate treatment. This project aims to elucidate the links between chemical and non-chemical stressors and inherent characteristics on children's mental health outcomes using our multifactorial conceptual framework. Serotonin is one of the most important neurotransmitters related to mental health. Monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) aids in serotonin uptake and has two genotypes that affect its enzymatic activity (low; L, and high; H). MAOA-L carriers are more frequently diagnosed with behavior and emotional disorders. When children are exposed to cigarette smoke, bisphenol A (BPA), or organophosphate pesticides, MAOA activity is inhibited. Non-chemical stressors, such as traumatic childhood experiences, ethnicity, and lifestyle factors, complicate the relationship between genotype and chemical exposure. But, the co-occurrence among outcomes between chemical exposures, genotype, and non-chemical stressors with MAOA-L suggest that mental illness in children may be caused by multiple interacting factors. The interacting factors described here are being assessed by a state-of-the-science review to clarify the relationship and discrepancies observed. Preliminary results show that exposed animals acquire behaviors characterized by MAOA-L. In humans, adult non-chemical stressor exposure is correlated to many MAOA-L associated mental health outcomes, and MAOA-L children experiencing trauma typically develop at least one mental disorder. Chemical exposure is not considered in most epidemiological analyses, but may be a contributing factor. Population genetics also play a role in behavioral outcomes, but results often contradict what is established for MAOA-L, with epigenetic changes adding another layer of complexity. If a relationship is observed across all factors, a meta-analysis using mental health, traumatic experience, and genetic data will be conducted to better understand the causes of mental illness in children. An improved understanding of inherent vulnerability and the onset of mental illness may provide better intervention and treatment options to children in need.
