Common Pesticide Linked to Hidden Brain Damage, Scientists Warn

Study: Children exposed to common insecticide before birth suffer brain damage years later

A JAMA Neurology study provides the first documented evidence that prenatal exposure to chlorpyrifos, a pesticide still used on U.S. farmland, causes measurable physical changes in children's brains and impairs motor function years later, with higher exposure linked to worse performance on motor speed and programming tests. The research examined 270 children born to Black and Hispanic mothers with detectable chlorpyrifos levels in umbilical cor…

Common pesticide linked to hidden brain damage, scientists warn

Source:Columbia University's Mailman School of Public HealthSummary:Scientists have uncovered alarming new evidence that a common insecticide may leave lasting marks on the developing brain before a child is even born. Researchers studying New York City children found that prenatal exposure to chlorpyrifos — a pesticide once widely used indoors and still used in agriculture — was linked to widespread brain abnormalities and weaker motor skills y…