Socio-environmental exposures and neurodevelopmental disorders

• Autores: Elisabet Suades González
• Directores de la Tesis: Jordi Sunyer i Deu (dir. tes.)
• Lectura: En la Universitat Pompeu Fabra ( España ) en 2018
• Idioma: español
• Tribunal Calificador de la Tesis: Jordi Alonso Caballero (presid.), Martine Vrijheid (secret.), Roser Colomer Roura (voc.)
• Programa de doctorado: Programa de Doctorado en Biomedicina por la Universidad Pompeu Fabra
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• Resumen

  • Introduction The influence of the environment, and its interplay with genetics, can account for up to half of the variance of neurodevelopmental disorders. In this thesis we reviewed previous literature on air pollution and neuropsychological development. We studied the trajectories of attention development in children. Finally, we explored any association between socio-environmental factors and warning signs of dyslexia and ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) symptoms.

    Methods This thesis is part of the BREATHE (BRain dEvelopment and Air polluTion ultrafine particles in scHool childrEn) and the INMA (INfancia y Medio Ambiente) projects.

    Results (1) We encountered sufficient evidence for an association between outdoor air pollution and a negative impact on the neuropsychological development of children. (2) We detected an ongoing development of some attention processes in primary school children, differentiating patterns by gender and ADHD symptoms. (3) Daily levels of traffic-related ambient air pollution were associated with daily variations in attention processes in primary school children. (4) Prenatal, and at some extent postnatal, exposure to NO2 at the residence address increased the risk of presenting signs of dyslexia in primary school children. (5) Within a total of 23 socio-environmental factors, male gender, younger relative age, psychosocial adversity , smoking and prenatal exposure to alcohol associated with ADHD symptoms at preschool age using a novel method for handling correlated data.

    Conclusions Traffic-related air pollution, smoking, alcohol, gender, relative age and psychosocial adversity (low social class, parental mental illness) were identified as important determinants of neurodevelopmental disorders.