Exposure to certain insecticides linked to childhood behavioural difficulties

BMJ: Exposure to a particular group of chemicals widely used in pest control for people, pets, and crops, may be linked to behavioural difficulties in 6 year olds, suggests research published online in Occupational & Environmental Medicine. Pyrethroids are synthetic chemicals which are found in a range of products, including treatments for head lice, scabies, and fleas, and some mosquito repellants. They are a safer alternative to organophosphates. But like many classes of insecticides, they work by damaging nerves, and concerns have recently been raised about the potential impact of children’s exposure to them.

Impact of environmental exposure to insecticides on the cognitive development of 6 year old children

INSERM: In an article published in the journal Environment International, researchers from Inserm (Inserm Unit 1085 – IRSET, the Institute of Research in Environmental and Occupational Health, Rennes), in association with the Laboratory for Developmental and Educational Psychology, LPDE (Rennes 2 University), provide new evidence of neurotoxicity in humans from pyrethroid insecticides, which are found in a wide variety of products and uses. An increase in the urinary levels of two pyrethroid metabolites (3-PBA and cis-DBCA) in children is associated with a significant decrease in their cognitive performances, particularly verbal comprehension and working memory. This study was carried out on nearly 300 mother and child pairs from the PELAGIE cohort (Brittany).