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High pesticide exposure events and central nervous system function among pesticide applicators in the Agricultural Health Study

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Abstract

Purpose

While acute pesticide poisoning can be associated with persistent adverse central nervous system (CNS) effects, little is known about the effect of one or more episodic and unusually high pesticide exposure events (HPEE) that typically do not result in acute poisoning. The objective of this investigation was to examine the association between ever having an HPEE and CNS function among licensed pesticide applicators enrolled in the Agricultural Health Study (AHS).

Methods

In 2006–2008, 693 male participants with no history of a physician-diagnosed pesticide poisoning completed nine neurobehavioral tests to assess memory, motor speed, sustained attention, verbal learning, and visual scanning and processing. Information on ever having an HPEE and pesticide poisonings was obtained from previous AHS interviews. Associations between ever having an HPEE and neurobehavioral outcomes were estimated with linear regression controlling for age and outcome-specific covariates.

Results

A history of ever having an HPEE was reported by 156 (23%) participants. Adverse associations were observed between ever having an HPEE and two of the nine neurobehavioral tests. On a test of visual scanning and processing (Digit-Symbol), participants who ever had an HPEE were 4.2 s slower (95% CI: −7.27, −1.11) than those without an HPEE, equivalent to the effect of 3.9 years of age in this population. On a test of visual scanning and motor speed (Sequences A), participants who ever had an HPEE were 2.5 s slower (95% CI: −4.53, −0.41) than those without an HPEE, equivalent to the effect of 3.9 years of age. No significant associations were observed between participants who ever had an HPEE and the remaining neurobehavioral tests.

Conclusions

One or more HPEE may contribute to adverse CNS outcomes independent of diagnosed pesticide poisoning.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Mr. Stuart Long for data analysis support and the Iowa and North Carolina field station staff (Ms. Ellen Heywood and Ms. Margaret Hayslip). We are especially grateful to the late Richard Letz, PhD, for his valuable technical assistance with the design of the neurobehavioral testing procedures as well as his in-kind contribution of the NES3 software. This study was supported by a grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (R01-ES013067-03), and, in part, by funding from the Intramural Research Program of the NIH, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (Z01ES049039), and National Cancer Institute (Z01CP010119).

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Iowa, University of Iowa Research Park, 140 IREH, Iowa City, IA, 52242-5000, USA

    Sarah E. Starks & Fred Gerr

  2. Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, NIH, MD A3-05, PO Box 12233, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27709, USA

    Freya Kamel, Dale P. Sandler & Jane A. Hoppin

  3. Department of Epidemiology, University of Iowa, C21-L GH, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA

    Charles F. Lynch

  4. Department of Health and Human Services, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Executive Plaza South, Room 8000, Rockville, MD, 20852, USA

    Michael C. Alavanja

Authors
  1. Sarah E. Starks
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  2. Fred Gerr
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  3. Freya Kamel
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  4. Charles F. Lynch
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  5. Michael C. Alavanja
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  7. Jane A. Hoppin
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Correspondence to Fred Gerr.

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Starks, S.E., Gerr, F., Kamel, F. et al. High pesticide exposure events and central nervous system function among pesticide applicators in the Agricultural Health Study. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 85, 505–515 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-011-0694-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-011-0694-8

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