Neurodevelopmental Effects of Perfluorinated Chemicals

The objective of Dr. Liew’s NIH’s Pathway to Independence Award (K99/R00) was to investigate associations between prenatal per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure and neurodevelopmental trajectories from age 5 to 16 using multiple outcome assessments (including epilepsy, social competence, mental health, intellectual capacity, and school performance) based on data from the Danish National Birth Cohort (DNBC).

The initial (K99) phase of the project evaluated the associations between prenatal exposure to Perfluorinated Chemicals (PFCs) and several neurodevelopmental outcomes in the DNBC. Prior findings indicated exposure to PFCs in-utero may increase risks for cerebral palsy (CP) and impact executive and attention function in young children.

In the next phase (R00), the study expanded the use of the resources from the DNBC and various Danish registers to study prenatal PFCs exposures and neurodevelopmental trajectories using an array of neurodevelopmental outcomes never investigated before, including (1) hospital diagnosis of epilepsy, (2) the child’s social competence and mental health at age 11, and (3) intellectual capacity and school performance up to age 16. The study capitalized on the valuable resources of stored maternal pregnancy blood samples from the DNBC, allowing a reliable and valid assessment of PFC exposure levels during fetal development. The study advanced research for fetal programming effects of persistent organic pollutants and long-term neurodevelopmental consequences.