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Postnatal pesticide exposure and executive function in children and adolescents : Findings from South Africa

Viglietti, Paola Gabriela ; Jäggi, Lena ; Wey, Hannah ; Petitpierre, Anouk ; Lindh, Christian LU orcid ; Rousseau, Kim Louise ; Mac Donnell, Jade ; Röösli, Martin ; Malcolm-Smith, Susan and Fuhrimann, Samuel , et al. (2026) In Environmental Research 289.
Abstract

Introduction: Postnatal pesticide exposure and its impact on executive functioning (EF) in children and adolescents remains underexplored, particularly in African agricultural contexts. This study investigated associations between urinary pesticide biomarkers and EF in the Child health Agricultural Pesticide study in South Africa (CapSA). Methods: Data from 445 participants (mean age: 10.6 years; 55.3 % male) were analysed. EF was assessed using three Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) subtests: the Multitasking Test (MTT, cognitive flexibility), Rapid Visual Information Processing (RVP, inhibitory control), and Spatial Working Memory (SWM, visuospatial working memory). Average levels of 13 pesticide... (More)

Introduction: Postnatal pesticide exposure and its impact on executive functioning (EF) in children and adolescents remains underexplored, particularly in African agricultural contexts. This study investigated associations between urinary pesticide biomarkers and EF in the Child health Agricultural Pesticide study in South Africa (CapSA). Methods: Data from 445 participants (mean age: 10.6 years; 55.3 % male) were analysed. EF was assessed using three Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) subtests: the Multitasking Test (MTT, cognitive flexibility), Rapid Visual Information Processing (RVP, inhibitory control), and Spatial Working Memory (SWM, visuospatial working memory). Average levels of 13 pesticide biomarkers—spanning insecticides (organophosphates, pyrethroids), fungicides (dithiocarbamates, triazoles, succinate dehydrogenase inhibitors), and herbicides (phenoxy acids)—were calculated from two spot urine samples collected in 2017 and 2019. Associations between specific gravity-adjusted, log10-transformed biomarker-levels (ng/mL) and EF z-scores were estimated using multivariate linear regression, adjusting for agricultural setting, child and maternal characteristics, and household factors. Results: Twelve of thirteen pesticide biomarkers showed widespread detection, with several (TCPy, 3-PBA, OH-TEB, ETU, and 2,4-D) detected in over 98 % of samples. Higher average levels of TCPy (β = −0.14; 95 % CI: 0.27, −0.01) and BCP (−0.08; −0.15, −0.02) were associated with poorer cognitive flexibility. Higher average levels of TCPy (−0.18; −0.31, −0.05), BCP (−0.08; −0.14, −0.01), cis-DCCA (−0.15; −0.31, 0.00), and OH-P (−0.09; −0.16, −0.03) were associated with poorer inhibitory control. No significant associations were observed for visuospatial working memory. Conclusions: Findings suggest postnatal exposure to specific organophosphates, pyrethroids and triazoles may impair specific EF domains. Results highlight the need for biologically informed exposure assessments and targeted interventions in agricultural populations.

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Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Adolescents, Children, Executive functioning, Neurodevelopment, Pesticide exposure, South Africa, Urinary biomarkers
in
Environmental Research
volume
289
article number
123310
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:105022258913
  • pmid:41237933
ISSN
0013-9351
DOI
10.1016/j.envres.2025.123310
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
824ae983-0359-49a1-822c-fc96be273bfc
date added to LUP
2026-02-11 09:45:49
date last changed
2026-02-25 11:04:01
@article{824ae983-0359-49a1-822c-fc96be273bfc,
  abstract     = {{<p>Introduction: Postnatal pesticide exposure and its impact on executive functioning (EF) in children and adolescents remains underexplored, particularly in African agricultural contexts. This study investigated associations between urinary pesticide biomarkers and EF in the Child health Agricultural Pesticide study in South Africa (CapSA). Methods: Data from 445 participants (mean age: 10.6 years; 55.3 % male) were analysed. EF was assessed using three Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) subtests: the Multitasking Test (MTT, cognitive flexibility), Rapid Visual Information Processing (RVP, inhibitory control), and Spatial Working Memory (SWM, visuospatial working memory). Average levels of 13 pesticide biomarkers—spanning insecticides (organophosphates, pyrethroids), fungicides (dithiocarbamates, triazoles, succinate dehydrogenase inhibitors), and herbicides (phenoxy acids)—were calculated from two spot urine samples collected in 2017 and 2019. Associations between specific gravity-adjusted, log<sub>10</sub>-transformed biomarker-levels (ng/mL) and EF z-scores were estimated using multivariate linear regression, adjusting for agricultural setting, child and maternal characteristics, and household factors. Results: Twelve of thirteen pesticide biomarkers showed widespread detection, with several (TCPy, 3-PBA, OH-TEB, ETU, and 2,4-D) detected in over 98 % of samples. Higher average levels of TCPy (β = −0.14; 95 % CI: 0.27, −0.01) and BCP (−0.08; −0.15, −0.02) were associated with poorer cognitive flexibility. Higher average levels of TCPy (−0.18; −0.31, −0.05), BCP (−0.08; −0.14, −0.01), cis-DCCA (−0.15; −0.31, 0.00), and OH-P (−0.09; −0.16, −0.03) were associated with poorer inhibitory control. No significant associations were observed for visuospatial working memory. Conclusions: Findings suggest postnatal exposure to specific organophosphates, pyrethroids and triazoles may impair specific EF domains. Results highlight the need for biologically informed exposure assessments and targeted interventions in agricultural populations.</p>}},
  author       = {{Viglietti, Paola Gabriela and Jäggi, Lena and Wey, Hannah and Petitpierre, Anouk and Lindh, Christian and Rousseau, Kim Louise and Mac Donnell, Jade and Röösli, Martin and Malcolm-Smith, Susan and Fuhrimann, Samuel and Dalvie, Mohamed Aqiel}},
  issn         = {{0013-9351}},
  keywords     = {{Adolescents; Children; Executive functioning; Neurodevelopment; Pesticide exposure; South Africa; Urinary biomarkers}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Environmental Research}},
  title        = {{Postnatal pesticide exposure and executive function in children and adolescents : Findings from South Africa}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2025.123310}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.envres.2025.123310}},
  volume       = {{289}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}