# Impact of antenatal exposure to a mixture of endocrine disruptors on attentional and executive functions in children

## TL;DR

Exposure to a mix of endocrine disruptors during pregnancy is linked to attention and executive function issues in children, with effects differing by sex.

## Contribution

This study examines sex-specific effects of prenatal exposure to a mixture of endocrine disruptors on children's cognitive functions.

## Key findings

- Higher prenatal PCB exposure was linked to more omissions in a divided attention test in boys.
- Boys showed reduced working memory and planning abilities after exposure to PCBs and PFASs.
- Girls showed reduced behavioral regulation and inhibition control after exposure to PCBs and PFASs.

## Abstract

Numerous studies indicate negative associations between early life exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals and various aspects of neurodevelopment. However, few have focused on specific cognitive processes. Additionally, toxicants are often analyzed individually, without accounting for their combined effects.

This study aimed at investigating the impact of prenatal exposure to a mixture of endocrine disruptors on attention and executive functions in young children and comparing their effects with those reported in the literature.

Two polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and 4 perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) were measured in the cord blood from 55 children enrolled in a longitudinal Belgian cohort study. At 6 years of age, attentional and executive functions were assessed using specific neuropsychological tests. Associations between a mixture of toxicants and cognitive performance were analyzed using the principal components approach and weighted quantile sum regression, while accounting for sex differences.

Higher prenatal exposure to PCB mixtures was significantly associated with an increased number of omissions in the Divided Attention test. In sex-stratified analyses, this association remained significant but was observed only in boys. Additionally, boys exhibited reduced working memory and planning abilities following exposure to a mixture of PCBs and PFASs. In contrast, antenatal exposure to a mixture of PCBs and PFASs in girls was associated with reduced behavioral regulation, including inhibition control, as assessed by parent-reported questionnaires screening executive functioning in daily life.

These results support associations between antenatal exposure to a mixture of endocrine disruptors and attention and executive development, emphasizing a sex-specific effect.