Gestational PBDE concentrations and executive function in adolescents with self- and caregiver-report: The HOME study

Background: Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), synthetic chemicals previously used as flame retardants in commercial products, impact human behaviors, mood symptoms and cognitive abilities. Objective: We estimated the association of gestational PBDE serum concentrations with early adolescent self- and caregiver-reported ratings of executive function in a prospective pregnancy and birth cohort. Methods: We measured gestational serum concentrations of five PBDE congeners and created a summary exposure variable (& sum;5BDE: 28, -47, -99, -100 and -153). At age 12 years, we assessed executive function for 237 adolescents using self- and caregiver-reports with the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functioning (BRIEF-2). We used multivariable linear regression models to estimate covariate-adjusted associations of lipid standardized, log(10)-transformed gestational PBDE concentrations with BRIEF-2 T-scores. We evaluated potential effect measure modification (EMM) of sex by examining sex-stratified regression models. Results: As higher scores indicate greater deficits in executive function, gestational PBDE concentrations were positively associated with adolescent-reported BRIEF-2 T-scores for Global Executive Composite (BDE-28: beta = 6.31 (95%CI: 2.59, 10.03), BDE-47: (beta = 3.32 (95%CI: 0.1, 6.54), & sum;5BDE: (beta = 3.70 (95%CI: 0.37, 7.03), Behavior Regulation Index (BDE-28: beta = 5.36 (95%CI: 1.56, 9.15), BDE-99: beta = 3.53 (95%CI: 0.33, 6.74), & sum;5BDE: beta = 3.93 (95%CI: 0.57, 7.3), Emotion Regulation Index (BDE-28: beta = 4.76 (95%CI: 0.88, 8.64) and the Cognitive Regulation Index (BDE-28: beta = 6.69 (95%CI: 3.08, 10.31), BDE-47: beta = 3.45 (95%CI: 0.3, 6.59), & sum;5BDE: beta = 3.57 (95%CI: 0.32, 6.82) and several other scales. We observed stronger associations with gestational PBDE concentrations for all congeners among males, especially for the caregiver-rated scales (all EMM p-values <0.1). Discussion: This study provides evidence that gestational PBDE serum concentrations may adversely influence offspring executive function during adolescence.