Effects of prenatal exposure to environmental chemical compounds on ADHD symptom: An event-related brain potential study

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K19218
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Epidemiology and preventive medicine
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University
• Principal Investigator: Yamazaki Keiko 北海道大学, 環境健康科学研究教育センター, 特任助教 (60732120)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: ERP P300 / PCB・dioxin / ADHD / 出生前向きコーホート / 疫学

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The symptoms of ADHD are characterized by inattentiveness, impulsiveness, and hyperactivity. Recently, it is suggested that these symptoms might be due to prenatal exposure to environmental chemicals. In this study, we investigated the relationship between prenatal PCBs/dioxin concentration and cognitive ability of school-aged children using P300 of ERP. We recorded brain activity of 80 voluntary children during oddball paradigm, among 514 participants in Sapporo Cohort, the Hokkaido Study on Environment and Children's Health. Regression analysis showed significant positive relationship between dioxin level and P300 latency in a model adjusted by the children’s age at recording. Furthermore, positive correlation between P300 latency and ADHD-RS score was significant. These results indicate that prenatal dioxin exposure might cause delay of cognitive process, which is related to ADHD symptom, because P300 latency reflects the time for stimulus evaluation process in the brain.

Free Research Field

環境疫学