Brain Abnormalities in Children Linked to Prenatal Exposure to Widely Used Pesticide

A recent study has provided compelling evidence connecting prenatal exposure to the pesticide chlorpyrifos (CPF) with lasting brain abnormalities and impaired motor development in children and adolescents from New York City. Conducted by researchers at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, and USC's Keck School of Medicine, the study is published in the journal JAMA Neurology. It examined 270 children and adolescents who are part of the Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health birth cohort, all born to Latino and African-American mothers. These children had measurable levels of CPF in their umbilical cord blood and underwent brain imaging and behavioral assessments between ages 6 and 14.

Findings indicated that higher levels of prenatal pesticide exposure were significantly associated with structural changes in the brain, altered metabolic processes, and decreased motor function, especially motor speed and programming. The evidence suggests that prenatal CPF exposure causes widespread disturbances in brain structure, function, and metabolism that persist into childhood and adolescence, with the degree of impact corresponding to the exposure level.

The primary source of exposure in this cohort was residential use of CPF. Despite the EPA banning indoor residential use in 2001, the pesticide remains in use for non-organic farming of fruits, vegetables, and grains, leading to outdoor contamination through air and dust, especially near agricultural areas. This ongoing exposure raises concerns for vulnerable populations, including pregnant women, farm workers, and their unborn children.

Virginia Rauh, senior author and Population and Family Health Professor at Columbia, emphasized the importance of continued monitoring, noting that widespread chemical exposure during pregnancy poses significant risks to brain development. Dr. Bradley Peterson, first author and a specialist in child psychiatry, highlighted that the observed brain disturbances are extensive and caution against the use of similar organophosphate pesticides.

The study underscores the need for policies to reduce environmental exposures, especially among pregnant women and young children, to protect neurodevelopment and prevent long-term neurological issues.

For more detailed information, the full study can be accessed in JAMA Neurology. Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-08-brain-abnormalities-children-exposed-prenatally.html