Joint exposure to chemical and nonchemical neurodevelopmental stressors in U.S. women of reproductive age in NHANES

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2014 Apr 22;11(4):4384-401. doi: 10.3390/ijerph110404384.

Abstract

Lead (Pb) and methyl mercury (MeHg) are well established neurodevelopmental toxicants (NDTs), but joint exposure to chemical and nonchemical (e.g., maternal stress) stressors has rarely been considered. We characterized exposure to Pb, MeHg and a measure of physiological dysregulation associated with chronic stress and examined race/ethnicity as a predictor of joint NDT exposure. Using data from the 2003-2004 NHANES, potential chronic stress exposure was estimated using allostatic load (AL), a quantitative measure of physiological dysregulation. A Hazard Index was calculated for joint exposure to Pb and MeHg (HI(NDT)). Logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between an indicator of elevated joint NDT exposures (HI(NDT) > 1) and race/ethnicity. The multivariate model was stratified by AL groups to examine effect measure modification. African American (adjusted odds ratio [OR] [95% confidence interval] = 2.2 [1.4, 3.3]) and Mexican American (1.4 [0.7, 2.6]) women were more likely to have an HI(NDT) > 1 compared to Caucasian women. Chronic stress was identified as an effect measure modifier with the largest ORs among women with high AL scores (African Americans = 4.3 [2.0, 9.5]; Mexican Americans = 4.2 [1.3, 14.1]). Chronic stress was found to modify the association between elevated joint NDT exposure and race/ethnicity, highlighting the importance of evaluating chemical and nonchemical stressor exposures leading to a common endpoint.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Biomarkers / blood
  • Blood Pressure
  • Body Mass Index
  • Environmental Exposure / adverse effects
  • Environmental Exposure / analysis
  • Environmental Pollutants / blood*
  • Ethnicity
  • Female
  • Heart Rate
  • Humans
  • Lead / blood*
  • Methylmercury Compounds / blood*
  • Nutrition Surveys
  • Racial Groups
  • Stress, Physiological*
  • United States
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Environmental Pollutants
  • Methylmercury Compounds
  • Lead