Associations between Fine Particulate Matter Components, Their Sources, and Cognitive Outcomes in Children Ages 9–10 Years Old from the United States
Kirthana Sukumaran, Katherine L. Botternhorn, Joel Schwartz, Jim Gauderman, Carlos Cardenas‐Iniguez, Rob McConnell, Daniel A. Hackman, Kiros Berhane, Hedyeh Ahmadi, Shermaine Abad, Rima Habre, Megan M. Herting
Abstract
BACKGROUND: component mixtures from distinct sources relate to cognitive outcomes in children. OBJECTIVES: component mixtures relate to neurocognitive performance in 9- to 10-year-old children, as well as explored potential source-specific effects of these associations, across the US. METHODS: components' mixture, their potential sources, and children's cognitive scores. RESULTS: Mixture modeling revealed associations between cumulative exposure and worse cognitive performance across all three outcome domains, including shared overlap in detrimental effects driven by ammonium nitrates, silicon, and calcium. Using the identified six sources of exposure, source-specific negative associations were identified between ammonium nitrates and learning & memory, traffic and executive function, and crustal and industrial mixtures and general cognitive ability. Unexpected positive associations were also seen between traffic and general ability as well as biomass burning and executive function. DISCUSSION: exposure and childhood cognitive performance, including important differences in cognition related both to individual chemicals as well as to specific sources of these exposures. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP14418.