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Prenatal Pesticide Exposure Linked to Lasting Brain Damage in Children
20 Aug
Summary
- Pesticide chlorpyrifos (CPF) exposure during pregnancy impairs children's brain development and motor function
- MRI scans show widespread brain abnormalities in exposed children, including cortex thickening and reduced blood flow
- Higher CPF exposure is associated with greater brain changes and poorer motor skills
According to a study published in JAMA Neurology on August 18, 2025, exposure to the common pesticide chlorpyrifos (CPF) during pregnancy can have significant and long-lasting impacts on children's brain development and motor function.
Researchers conducted behavioral assessments and MRI scans on 270 children in upper Manhattan whose mothers were exposed to CPF while pregnant, between 1998 and mid-2005. The results show that prenatal CPF exposure is linked to widespread abnormalities in the children's brain structure and function, including thickening of the cerebral cortex, disruptions to white matter and nerve insulation, and dramatically reduced blood flow to the brain.
Importantly, the study found that higher levels of CPF exposure were associated with increasingly greater brain changes and poorer motor skills in the children. "More CPF exposure led to more thickening of the cerebral cortex -- the area of the brain that directs functions like thinking, memory and movement," explained lead researcher Dr. Bradley Peterson. "We don't know the full consequences, but we found that CPF exposure most impairs motor functioning."
Experts warn that toxic exposure to CPF continues to be a risk, as the pesticide is still widely used in agriculture, despite being banned for residential use in 2001. Pregnant women and their unborn children remain vulnerable, especially in farming communities. Researchers emphasize the urgent need to monitor exposure levels and protect public health, particularly for the developing brains of children.
