Prenatal Exposure to Chlorpyrifos and Its Long-Term Impact on Brain Development and Motor Function in Children: Evidence from Imaging and Cohort Studies

Highlights

• Prospective cohort study links prenatal chlorpyrifos exposure with widespread cortical thickness alterations and reduced white matter volumes in children aged 6 to 15.
• Multi-modal MRI modalities (anatomic, spectroscopic, diffusion, and perfusion imaging) reveal consistent dose-dependent brain structure and metabolism disturbances.
• Neurotoxicity is potentially mediated through inflammation and oxidative stress pathways, suggesting common mechanistic pathways with other prenatal environmental exposures.
• Policy implications emphasize the importance of minimizing prenatal pesticide exposure to protect neurodevelopment.

Background