Common pesticides linked to “remarkably widespread” brain anomalies in children

Prenatal exposure to chlorpyrifos in the uterus disrupts brain development. Risks remain for children in agricultural communities.

A recent study has identified a link between prenatal exposure to commonly used insecticide chlorpyrifos (CPF) and structural changes in the brain, as well as reduced motor capacities, in children and adolescents living in New York.

This research is the first to show that exposure before birth can cause long -term molecular, cellular and metabolic alterations in the brain, in addition to the detailed engine coordination. Study, conducted by scientists at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, Los Angeles Children’s Hospital and Keck School of Medicine USCappears in the newspaper Jama neurology.

Results of the study of the birth cohort

The analysis has focused on 270 children and adolescents registered in the Cohort of Birth Cohorts on the Environmental Health of Columbia Center for Children, who were all born of Latin American and African-American mothers. Chlorpyrifos levels were detected in their umbilical cord blood, and they then underwent brain imaging and behavioral assessments between 6 and 14 years old.

The results revealed that a higher prenatal exposure was systematically linked to more pronounced disturbances in the brain structure, function and metabolism, as well as slower motor speed and altered motor programming. The evidence through several neuroimagery methods have indicated that the severity of anomalies increased directly with the level of exposure to the CPF, suggesting a clear dose-response effect.

Residential use of pesticides was the main source of exposure for these children. Although the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has prohibited the CPF for the use of domestic households in 2001, it continues to be applied in agriculture for non -organic crops such as fruits, vegetables and grains. This continuous use leads to toxic exposure from outside air and dust, especially near agricultural areas.

Expert warning on vulnerable groups

“Current general exhibitions, at levels comparable to those suffered in this sample, continue to place agricultural workers, pregnant women and children to be born. Health at the Columbia Mailman School.

“The disturbances of the brain tissues and the metabolism that we have observed with prenatal exposure to this only pesticides have been remarkably widespread throughout the brain. Other organophosphate pesticides probably produce similar effects, guaranteeing caution to minimize exhibitions during pregnancy, early childhood and the first author Bradley adolescent psychiatry in the department of psychiatry of Keck School of Medicine of the USC.

Reference: “Brain anomalies in children exposed prenaturally at the pesticide chlorpyrifos” by Bradley S. Peterson, Sahar Delavari, Ravi Bansal, Siddhant Sawardar, Chaitanya Gupte, Howard Andrews, Lori A. Hoepner, Wanda Garcia, Frederica Perera and Virginia Rauh, 18 August 2025, Jama neurology.
Two: 10.1001 / Jamanurol.2025.2818

This study was supported by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (subsidies ES09600, ES015905, ES015579, DA027100, ES08977, ES009089); US Environmental Protection Agency Star (Grants RD834509, RD832141, R827027); National Institute of Mental Health (subsidies MH068318, K02-74677); And the Foundation of the John and Wendy Neu family. The study was also supported by an anonymous donor, Patrice and Mike Harmon, the Inspirit Fund and the Robert COURY family.

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