Nutritional Intervention with Dried Bonito Broth for the Amelioration of Aggressive Behaviors in Children with Prenatal Exposure to Dioxins in Vietnam: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Dioxins have been suggested to induce inflammation in the intestine and brain and to induce neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), partly due to deficits in parvalbumin-positive neurons in the brain that are sensitive to inflammatory stress. Previously, we reported ADHD traits with increased aggressiveness in children with prenatal exposure to dioxins in Vietnam, whereas dried bonito broth (DBB) has been reported to suppress inflammation and inhibit aggressive behavior in animal and human studies. In the present study, we investigated the association between dioxin exposure and the prevalence of children with highly aggressive behaviors (Study 1), as well as the effects of DBB on the prevalence of children with highly aggressive behaviors (Study 2). Methods: In Study 1, we investigated the effects of dioxin exposure on the prevalence of children with high aggression scores, which were assessed using the Children’s Scale of Hostility and Aggression: Reactive/Proactive (C-SHARP) in dioxin-contaminated areas. The data were analyzed using a logistic regression model after adjusting for confounding factors. In Study 2, we performed nutritional intervention by administering DBB for 60 days to ameliorate the aggressiveness of children with high scores on the C-SHARP aggression scale. The effects of DBB were assessed by comparing the prevalence of children with high C-SHARP scores between the pre- and post-intervention examinations. Results: In Study 1, only the prevalence of children with high covert aggression was significantly increased with an increase in dioxin exposure. In Study 2, in the full ingestion (>80% of goal ingestion volume) group, the prevalence of children with high covert aggression associated with dioxin exposure was significantly lower in the post-ingestion examination compared with in the pre-ingestion examination. However, in other ingestion (<20% and 20–79%) groups and a reference (no intervention) group, no difference in the prevalence of children with high covert aggression was found between the examinations before and after the same experimental period. Conclusions: The findings suggest that DBB ingestion may ameliorate children’s aggressive behavior, which is associated with perinatal dioxin exposure.

Increased functional connectivity following ingestion of dried bonito soup

“…Dried bonito soup contains umami ingredients such as L-glutamate, inosine monophosphate (IMP), and amino acids, which exert anti-depressive ( 2 ) and anti-sympathetic nervous system effects ( 3 ). The ingestion of dried bonito soup ameliorates the aggressive behavior associated with perinatal dioxin exposure in children ( 4 ). In addition to behavioral and physiological studies, previous studies have investigated Fos expression in the rat brain after intragastric administration of dried bonito ( 5 ).…”

Perinatal Dioxin Exposure and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Symptoms in Children Living in a Dioxin Contamination Hotspot in Vietnam

“…In the survey of 8-year-olds, aggressive behavior was also examined by interviewing parents or caretakers of children using the Children’s Scale of Hostility and Aggression: Reactive/Proactive (C-SHARP) with five subscales (verbal aggression, bullying, covert aggression, hostility, and physical aggression). The prevalence of high covert aggression scores in children of both sexes was significantly higher with higher TCDD exposure with an adjusted odds ratio of 4.5 [ 16 ]. However, in stratified analysis according to sex, the significant association between covert scores and TCDD exposure was clearer in girls than in boys [ 17 ].…”