Higher prenatalexposure to a common pesticide, chlorpyrifos (CPF), was associated with a greater likelihood of brain abnormalities and poorer motor function among children aged 6 to almost 15 years in a prospective, longitudinal study.

MRIs revealed widespread brain changes, including thicker frontal, temporal, and posterior inferior cortices; reduced white matter volumes; and lower diffusivity of internal capsule white matter.

Researchers also observed that prenatal CPF exposure levels were linked to lower indices of neuronal density in white matter tracts and lower performance on fine motor and motor programming tasks.

Previous preclinical and clinical studies supported the neurotoxicity of CPF, but this is the first research to look at specific brain changes in people.

“These are ve

See Full Page