Effects of perinatal exposure to PCBs and dioxins on play behavior in Dutch children at school age.

Abstract

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dioxins are known as neurotoxic compounds that may modulate sex steroid hormones. Steroid hormones play a mediating role in brain development and may influence behaviors that show sex differences, such as childhood play behavior. In this study we evaluated the effects of perinatal exposure to environmental levels of PCBs and dioxins on childhood play behavior and whether the effects showed sex differences. As part of the follow-up to the Dutch PCB/dioxin study at school age, we used the Pre-School Activity Inventory (PSAI) to assess play behavior in the Rotterdam cohort (n = 207). The PSAI assesses masculine or feminine play behavior scored on three subscales: masculine, feminine, and composite. Prenatal exposure to PCBs was defined as the sum of PCB 118, 138, 153, and 180 in maternal and cord plasma and breast milk. For breast milk we measured additional PCBs as well as 17 dioxins. Respondents returned 160 questionnaires (age 7.5 years +/- 0.4). Effects of prenatal exposure to PCBs, measured in maternal and cord plasma, on the masculine and composite scales were different for boys and girls (p <.05). In boys, higher prenatal PCB levels were related with less masculinized play, assessed by the masculine scale (p(maternal) =.042; p(cord) =.001) and composite scale (p(cord) =.011), whereas in girls higher PCB levels were associated with more masculinized play, assessed by the composite scale (p(PCBmilk) =.028). Higher prenatal dioxin levels were associated with more feminized play in boys as well as girls, assessed by the feminine scale (p =.048). These effects suggest prenatal steroid hormone imbalances caused by prenatal exposure to environmental levels of PCBs, dioxins, and other related organochlorine compounds.

Effects of polychlorinated biphenyls on maternal odor conditioning in rat pups

“…Other social-related research has focused on the effects of PCBs on reproductive behavior and fertility [32,33]. One of the recent reports on social behavior described the effects of PCBs on social play interactions in children in a Dutch cohort [34]. This study revealed that boys with a higher level of PCBs scored higher on the feminine scale and lower on the masculine scale of a questionnaire indirectly gauging play activity.…”

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin in maternal breast milk and newborn head circumference

“…These results suggest that fish intake and breast milk feeding should not be discouraged. In the same Dutch children cohort at school age, negative effects of prenatal PCBs on cognitive and motor development were observed only in children raised in a poor social environment (Vreugdenhil et al, 2002), although effects of prenatal exposure on cognitive ability were observed in these children at 18 and 42 months of age (Huisman et al, 1995; Dioxin in breast milk and newborn head circumference Nishijo et al et al, 1999). A follow-up study using a larger cohort, to investigate cognitive and motor development with a survey of nutritional and social circumstances, is necessary to clarify the effects of TCDD on head size.…”

<b>Impact of Endocrine Disruptions on Man: The likely Causes and Effects</b>

“…Play behaviour in children is normally seen to reflect their sexes, but research into hormone mimics have shown that these norms can be altered as a result of exposure in the womb or from the environment to chemicals, thus making boys associated with more feminised play behaviour and vice versa. Observations from a Dutch study on children prenatally exposed to PCBs and dioxins shows higher levels of PCBs correlating with less masculinised play in boys while more feminised play behaviour is seen in both sexes after prenatal exposure to dioxins (Vreugdenhil et al, 2002).…”