Influence of low-level prenatal exposure to PCDD/Fs and PCBs on empathizing, systemizing and autistic traits: Results from the duisburg birth cohort study

Abstract

Background Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are assumed to act as endocrine disruptor chemicals. Prenatal exposure to these pollutants might influence fetal steroid hormone levels, which are thought to be related to sex-typical development and autistic traits. Objectives We examined associations of prenatal levels of PCDD/Fs and PCBs with autism traits and sex-typical behaviour in childhood. Methods We measured levels of PCDD/Fs and PCBs in maternal blood samples during pregnancy using gas chromatography/high-resolution mass spectrometry. Sex-typical behaviour was assessed at 9 years of age (n = 96) and autistic traits at 10 years of age using the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS; n = 100). Multiple regression analyses were conducted to estimate the associations between prenatal exposure and outcome variables. Results Blood concentrations (WHO 2005 -TEq) of ΣPCDD/Fs ranged from 2.93-46.45 pg/gdipilbase (median = 12.91 pg/g lipil base) and concentrations of ΣPCBs were in the range of 1.24-25.47 pg/g lipil base (median = 6.85 pg/g lipil base) which is within the range of German background exposure. We found significant negative associations between PCDD/F levels in maternal blood and SRS scores in the whole group (β = -6.66, p ≺.05), in girls (β = -10.98, p ≺ .05) and, in one SRS subscale, in boys (β = -6.86, p ≺ .05). For PCB levels, associations.