Phthalate metabolites in gestational-maternal urine represents short-term maternal exposure, but meconium, the newborn's first stool may better capture cumulative fetal exposure. We quantified ...phthalate metabolites in meconium from two cohorts of children at higher risk of adverse neurodevelopment and evaluated associations with their cognitive function at 12 months.
Meconium phthalate metabolites were quantified in the Safe Passage Study (SPS), N = 720, a pregnancy cohort with high community-levels of prenatal alcohol use, and the Early Autism Risk Longitudinal Investigation (EARLI), N = 236, a high familial autism risk pregnancy cohort. EARLI also had second and third trimester (T2/T3) maternal urine for exposure assessment. Molar sum of di (2-ethylhexyl) (∑DEHP) metabolites and an anti-androgenic score (AAS) using mono-isobutyl, mono-n-butyl, monobenzyl (MBZP), and DEHP metabolites were computed. Cognitive function was assessed at 12 months using the Mullen Scales of Early Learning-Composite (ELC). Multivariable linear regression assessed associations between loge-transformed metabolites and ELC. Quadratic terms explored nonlinearity and interaction terms of metabolite by child's sex examined effect modification.
In SPS, MBzP (βLinear = −6.73; 95% CI: 12.04, −1.42; βquadratic = 1.95; 0.27, 3.62) and mono (2-ethyl-5-carboxypentyl), (βLinear = −3.81; −7.53, −0.27; βquadratic = 0.93; 0.09, 1.77) had U-shaped associations with ELC. In EARLI, T2 urine mono-carboxyisononyl was associated with linear decrease in ELC, indicating lower cognitive function. Interaction with sex was suggested (P < 0.2) for several urine metabolites, mostly indicating negative association between phthalates and ELC among girls but reversed among boys. Only mono-isononyl phthalate and ∑DEHP had consistent main effect associations across matrixes and cohorts, but similar interaction with sex was observed for meconium-measured ∑DEHP, AAS, MBzP, and mono (2-ethylhexyl) in both cohorts.
Few phthalate metabolites were consistently associated with children's cognitive function, but a similar set of meconium metabolites from both cohorts displayed sex-specific associations. Gestational phthalate exposure may have sexually-dimorphic associations with early cognitive function in children at higher risk for adverse neurodevelopment.
•Gestational phthalate exposure in high-risk cohorts similar to general population.•Gestational phthalate exposure negatively associated with child cognitive function.•Child sex-differential associations between phthalates and child cognitive function.•Similar associations detected across two different cohorts.
Highlights ► Hormone profiles correlate with breeding performance. ► Environmental conditions impact endocrinology and the timing and success of breeding. ► Sub-colony size did not affect ...endocrinology or breeding schedules.
Food, nutrition, and autism: from soil to fork Maitin-Shepard, Melissa; O’Tierney-Ginn, Perrie; Kraneveld, Aletta D ...
The American journal of clinical nutrition,
07/2024, Letnik:
120, Številka:
1
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Food and nutrition-related factors have the potential to impact development of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and quality of life for people with ASD, but gaps in evidence exist. On 10 November 2022, ...Tufts University’s Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy and Food and Nutrition Innovation Institute hosted a 1-d meeting to explore the evidence and evidence gaps regarding the relationships of food and nutrition with ASD. This meeting report summarizes the presentations and deliberations from the meeting. Topics addressed included prenatal and child dietary intake, the microbiome, obesity, food-related environmental exposures, mechanisms and biological processes linking these factors and ASD, food-related social factors, and data sources for future research. Presentations highlighted evidence for protective associations with prenatal folic acid supplementation and ASD development, increases in risk of ASD with maternal gestational obesity, and the potential for exposure to environmental contaminants in foods and food packaging to influence ASD development. The importance of the maternal and child microbiome in ASD development or ASD-related behaviors in the child was reviewed, as was the role of discrimination in leading to disparities in environmental exposures and psychosocial factors that may influence ASD. The role of child diet and high prevalence of food selectivity in children with ASD and its association with adverse outcomes were also discussed. Priority evidence gaps identified by participants include further clarifying ASD development, including biomarkers and key mechanisms; interactions among psychosocial, social, and biological determinants; interventions addressing diet, supplementation, and the microbiome to prevent and improve quality of life for people with ASD; and mechanisms of action of diet-related factors associated with ASD. Participants developed research proposals to address the priority evidence gaps. The workshop findings serve as a foundation for future prioritization of scientific research to address evidence gaps related to food, nutrition, and ASD.
Background
Preterm birth has been linked to increased risk of autism spectrum disorders (ASD), but how this risk changes with gestational age at birth has not been well characterised, especially with ...regard to co‐occurring intellectual disability (ID).
Methods
Register‐based cohort study of singleton births in 1984–2007 in Stockholm County, Sweden (N total: 480 728; n ASD: 10 025). We assessed overall and sex‐specific, gestational week‐specific prevalence estimates and risk ratios of ASD with and without ID.
Results
Preterm and postterm births were associated with elevated risk of ASD, and the relationship between gestational age at birth and ASD with and without ID differed in males and females. Risk of ASD without ID was higher in preterm births among both sexes and decreased continuously with increasing length of gestation. Risk of ASD with ID was higher in both preterm and postterm births among both sexes, with postterm birth in females being more highly associated with ASD with ID than that in males.
Conclusions
The relationship between gestational age at birth and ASD differs by the presence/absence of co‐occurring ID and fetal sex. Both preterm and postterm birth are associated with increased risk of ASD. Risk of ASD is not constant within conventionally defined gestational age at birth periods. Further research on mechanism underlying these associations is needed.
Abstract
Background
In prior work we observed differences in morphology features in placentas from an autism-enriched cohort as compared to those from a general population sample. Here we sought to ...examine whether these differences associate with ASD-related outcomes in the child.
Methods
Participants (
n
= 101) were drawn from the Early Autism Risk Longitudinal Investigation (EARLI), a cohort following younger siblings of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). ASD-related outcomes, including the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS), Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL) Early Learning Composite, and ASD diagnosis, were assessed at age 3. Crude and adjusted linear regression was used to examine associations between placental morphological features (parametrized continuously and in quartiles) and SRS and MSEL scores; comparisons by ASD case status were explored as secondary analyses due to the small number of cases (
n
= 20).
Results
In adjusted analyses, we observed a modest positive association between umbilical cord eccentricity, defined as the ratio of the maximum:minimum radius from the cord insertion point, and SRS scores (Beta = 1.68, 95%CI = 0.45, 2.9). Positive associations were also suggested between placental maximum thickness and cord centrality and SRS scores, though these were estimated with little precision. Associations between other placental morphological features and outcomes were not observed.
Conclusions
Our analyses suggested a potential association between umbilical cord features and ASD-related traits, of interest as non-central cord insertion may reflect reduced placenta efficiency. Future studies with larger sample sizes are needed to further examine these and other placental features in association with ASD-related outcomes.
Background Epoxy fats in the diet may adversely affect human health. There are no data on the absorption of these fats in humans.
Methods Triglycerides were synthesized containing two U‐13C‐labelled ...monoepoxy or diepoxy stearic acid molecules. Apparently healthy women consumed a standardized fatty meal (30 g fat) containing either 20 mg monoepoxy or 25 mg diepoxy fat (n = 6 and n = 7, respectively). Plasma lipid U‐13Cmonoepoxy and diepoxy stearate concentrations were determined (0–24 h) by gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry.
Results Plasma triglycerides increased from 1·05 ± 0·12 to 1·83 ± 0·13 mmol L−1 (n = 6) and from 1·10 ± 0·19 to 1·41 ± 0·27 mmol L−1 (n = 7) (both P < 0·001). Plasma U‐13Cmonoepoxy and diepoxy stearate levels increased to 0·18 ± 0·07 µmol L−1 (n = 6) and to 0·08 ± 0·03 µmol L−1 (n = 7), respectively. Monoepoxy triglyceride was better absorbed than diepoxy triglyceride: 17 ± 4 vs. 8 ± 1% of dose (determined from area under curve (plasma 13C) normalized to that of absorbed triglycerides (plasma 12C); P < 0·02 after log transformation). The absorption of monoepoxy‐ and diepoxy‐labelled triglycerides was related to that of normal triglycerides (r = 0·80, P < 0·05 and r = 0·91, P < 0·001, respectively).
Conclusions Monoepoxy fats are better absorbed than diepoxy fats in women (17 ± 4 vs. 8 ± 1% of dose, P = 0·02). This difference in absorption is important when considering the relative toxicity of epoxidized material in the food chain.
We report on a capillary GC‐MS method for the quantitative analysis of hydroxy and epoxy FA. Catalytic hydrogenation of lipid extracts produces stable saturated lipids. Saponification followed by ...methylation with boron trifluoride in the presence of methanol converts FA to methyl esters and epoxy groups to methoxy‐hydroxy groups. These compounds are purified from nonoxidized methyl esters using solid phase extraction. Derivatization of the hydroxy group using tetramethylammonium hydroxide forms methoxy and vicinal dimethoxy FAME. When subjected to El‐MS, fragmentation gives two characteristic ion fragments for each epoxy and hydroxy positional isomer. Quantitative measurements were achieved using uniformly labeled hydroxy and epoxy 13C FA as internal standards. Epoxy and hydroxy FA were identified in both plasma and adipose tissue of men, and the levels of hydroxy and epoxy in these tissues were related. The levels of hydroxy isomers were typical of oxidation of linoleic acid, whereas epoxy isomers were characteristic of oxidation of oleic acid.
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