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Early-life exposure to aluminum and fine motor performance in infants: a longitudinal study

Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology volume 31, pages 248–256 (2021)Cite this article

Abstract

Background

Aluminum (Al) is a well-established neurotoxicant. However, little is known about its effects on the neurodevelopment of infants.

Objectives

To examine early-life exposure to Al in relation to neurodevelopment in healthy infants.

Methods

Nail Al concentrations were measured among 747 newborn babies within 6 months of delivery in the Shanghai Birth Cohort. Neurodevelopment was assessed using Ages and stages questionnaire (third edition, ASQ-3) at ages 6 and 12 months. General linear regression models were performed to estimate the associations between Al concentrations and ASQ-3 scores.

Results

After adjustment for potential confounders, early-life exposure to Al was not associated with any neurodevelopmental performance at age 6 months. However, Al level was associated with an increased risk of having a low fine motor score (quartile 4 vs. quartile 1, mean difference (MD): −1.63; 95% confidence interval (CI): −3.22, −0.05; P-trend < 0.01) at 12 months. No association was found for communication, gross motor, problem-solving, or personal-social score at 12 months.

Significance

Early-life exposure to Al may be associated with poor fine motor skills in a dose-response manner among apparently healthy infants at age 12 months.

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Fig. 1: Flow chart of study sampling.
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Funding

The work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81573140 and 81530086), and was partially funded by the Shanghai Municipal Health Commission and the Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, and supported by the National Human Genetic Resources Sharing Service Platform (2005DKA21300).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ministry of Education and Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children’s Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China

    Rui Ma, Fengxiu Ouyang, Ying Tian & Jun Zhang

  2. Department of Nutrition, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China

    Kefeng Yang, Xuanxia Mao & Xiuhua Shen

  3. Shanghai Key Laboratory of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Shanghai, China

    Kefeng Yang & Xuanxia Mao

  4. Shanghai Institute of Pediatric Research, Shanghai, China

    Kefeng Yang & Xuanxia Mao

  5. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vagelos College of Physician and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA

    Cheng Chen & Ka Kahe

  6. Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA

    Cheng Chen & Ka Kahe

  7. Department of Clinical Nutrition, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China

    Xiuhua Shen

  8. Instrumental Analysis Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong Univeristy School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai, China

    Linlei Jiang

  9. Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China

    Ying Tian

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Ma, R., Yang, K., Chen, C. et al. Early-life exposure to aluminum and fine motor performance in infants: a longitudinal study. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 31, 248–256 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41370-021-00294-9

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