Brain anomalies in children exposed prenatally to a common organophosphate pesticide

Summary

This study, published in PNAS in 2011, used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to investigate structural brain differences in children aged 5–11 with prenatal exposure to chlorpyrifos, a widely used organophosphate insecticide. Drawing on the Columbia Centre for Children's Environmental Health birth cohort in New York City, Rauh and colleagues found that higher prenatal chlorpyrifos exposure was associated with enlarged superior temporal, posterior middle temporal, and inferior postcentral gyri bilaterally, as well as cortical thinning in other regions. The findings suggest that prenatal exposure to chlorpyrifos at levels common in the general population may adversely affect neurodevelopment, contributing to a growing evidence base linking organophosphate pesticides to childhood cognitive and behavioural impairments.

UK applicability

Although conducted in a US urban cohort, the findings are broadly applicable to UK public health and regulatory contexts, particularly given that chlorpyrifos was approved for use in the UK until its EU-wide ban took effect in 2020; the study provides neuroimaging evidence that informed international regulatory decisions on organophosphate pesticides.

Key measures

Cortical surface area (mm²); cortical thickness (mm); regional brain volume; urinary chlorpyrifos metabolite levels (3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol, TCPY) as exposure proxy

Outcomes reported

The study examined brain morphology in children with documented prenatal exposure to chlorpyrifos, an organophosphate pesticide, using neuroimaging. It reported associations between higher exposure levels and structural anomalies in cortical surface area, thickness, and regional brain development.

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