Prenatal and childhood exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and measures of attention, impulse control, and visual spatial abilities.

Abstract Background Despite evidence from toxicological studies describing the potential neurotoxicity of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), their role in neurodevelopment remains uncertain amid inconsistent findings from epidemiological studies. Methods Using data from 218 mother-child dyads from the Health Outcomes and Measures of the Environment Study, we examined prenatal and childhood (3 and 8 years) serum concentrations of four PFAS and inattention, impulsivity, and visual spatial abilities. At 8 years, we used the Conners' Continuous Performance Test-II to assess attention and impulse control and the Virtual Morris Water Maze (VMWM) to measure visual spatial abilities. Results In multiple informant models, there was no evidence to indicate that prenatal or childhood PFAS are associated with attention. However, there was an inverse association between prenatal ln-perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) and errors of commission (β = −2.0, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] −3.8, −0.3). Ln-perfluorononanoate (PFNA) at 3 years was associated with longer (poorer) VMWM completion times of 3.6 seconds (CI 1.6, 5.6). However, higher concurrent concentrations of ln-perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) (β = −2.4 s, 95% CI −4.4, −0.3) were associated with shorter (better) times. Higher prenatal PFHxS was positively associated with percentage of traveling distance in the correct quadrant (β = 4.2%, 95% CI 0.8, 7.7), indicating better performance. Conclusion Findings were mixed for prenatal and childhood PFAS concentrations and visual spatial abilities. There is not enough evidence to support that PFAS are associated with visual spatial abilities as assessed by the VMWM or CPT-II measures of inattention or impulsivity in children at age 8 years. Highlights • Prenatal and childhood PFAS are not associated with CPT-II measures of inattention at 8 years. • Inconsistent associations were noted between PFNA and PFHxS with VMWM performance at 8 years. • Findings do not support associations between PFAS and VMWM measures of visual spatial abilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]