부산대학교 도서관

Background: Over 57 million people in Bangladesh have been chronically exposed to arsenic-contaminated drinking water. They also face environmental exposure to elevated levels of cadmium (Cd), manganese (Mn), and lead (Pb), all of which have been previously observed in environmental and biological samples for this population. These metals have been linked to adverse neurocognitive outcomes in adults and children, though their effects on adolescents are not yet fully characterized. Additionally, previous studies have linked selenium (Se) to protective effects against the toxicity of these other metals. Objectives: To examine the associations between mixed metals exposure and cognitive function in Bangladeshi adolescents. Methods: The Metals, Arsenic, & Nutrition in Adolescents study (MANAs) is a cross-sectional study of 572 Bangladeshi adolescents aged 14–16 years, whose parents were enrolled in the Health Effects of Arsenic Longitudinal Study (HEALS). Biosamples were collected from these adolescents for measurement of whole blood metalloid/metal levels of As, Cd, Mn, Pb, and Se. Participants also completed an abbreviated version of The Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB), a cognitive function test designed to measure performance across several aspects of executive function. Linear regression was used to examine associations for each metal while controlling for the other metals. Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression (BKMR) assessed the overall mixture effect in addition to confirming the effects of individual metal components observed via linear regression. Results: Linear regression revealed negative associations for Spatial Working Memory and both As and Mn (As B=−2.40, Mn B=−5.31, p