Newswise — Exposure to organophosphate (OP) pesticides before birth can increase susceptibility to attention disorders such as attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to new research published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP). The new study is part of a growing body of research indicating that exposure to OP pesticides can adversely affect brain development.
OP pesticides target the nervous systems of insects by affecting the activity of neurotransmitters including acetylcholine, which in humans plays a critical role in brain development and is involved in attention and short-term memory. Exposure to OP compounds may also disrupt DNA replication and the growth of nerve axons and dendrites. Infants and young children are much more vulnerable to OP exposures than adults are because their ability to produce the enzyme that detoxifies OP pesticides is still developing.
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