Unraveling the impact of prenatal air pollution for neonatal brain maturation

Early brain development is highly sensitive to environmental influences. While prenatal exposure to airborne particulate matter (PM2.5) has been broadly associated with harmful effects, PM2.5 also contains trace elements such as iron, copper and zinc, which are essential for brain growth. This study...

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Autores: Pujol, Jesus, Martínez-Vilavella, Gerard, Gómez-Herrera, Laura, Rivas, Ioar, Gómez-Roig, Maria Dolors, Llurba, Elisa, Blanco-Hinojo, Laura, Cirach, Marta, Persavento, Cecilia, Querol, Xavier, Gascón, Mireia, Foraster, Maria, Gispert, Juan Domingo, Falcón, Carles, Deus, Joan, Dadvand, Payam, Sunyer, Jordi
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2025
País:España
Institución:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
Repositorio:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
OAI Identifier:oai:digital.csic.es:10261/401763
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10261/401763
https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/105016638318
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Particulate matter
Brain development
Myelination
Neonates
http://metadata.un.org/sdg/11
http://metadata.un.org/sdg/9
http://metadata.un.org/sdg/3
Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
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network_acronym_str ES
network_name_str España
repository_id_str
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Unraveling the impact of prenatal air pollution for neonatal brain maturation
title Unraveling the impact of prenatal air pollution for neonatal brain maturation
spellingShingle Unraveling the impact of prenatal air pollution for neonatal brain maturation
Pujol, Jesus
Particulate matter
Brain development
Myelination
Neonates
http://metadata.un.org/sdg/11
http://metadata.un.org/sdg/9
http://metadata.un.org/sdg/3
Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
title_short Unraveling the impact of prenatal air pollution for neonatal brain maturation
title_full Unraveling the impact of prenatal air pollution for neonatal brain maturation
title_fullStr Unraveling the impact of prenatal air pollution for neonatal brain maturation
title_full_unstemmed Unraveling the impact of prenatal air pollution for neonatal brain maturation
title_sort Unraveling the impact of prenatal air pollution for neonatal brain maturation
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Pujol, Jesus
Martínez-Vilavella, Gerard
Gómez-Herrera, Laura
Rivas, Ioar
Gómez-Roig, Maria Dolors
Llurba, Elisa
Blanco-Hinojo, Laura
Cirach, Marta
Persavento, Cecilia
Querol, Xavier
Gascón, Mireia
Foraster, Maria
Gispert, Juan Domingo
Falcón, Carles
Deus, Joan
Dadvand, Payam
Sunyer, Jordi
author Pujol, Jesus
author_facet Pujol, Jesus
Martínez-Vilavella, Gerard
Gómez-Herrera, Laura
Rivas, Ioar
Gómez-Roig, Maria Dolors
Llurba, Elisa
Blanco-Hinojo, Laura
Cirach, Marta
Persavento, Cecilia
Querol, Xavier
Gascón, Mireia
Foraster, Maria
Gispert, Juan Domingo
Falcón, Carles
Deus, Joan
Dadvand, Payam
Sunyer, Jordi
author_role author
author2 Martínez-Vilavella, Gerard
Gómez-Herrera, Laura
Rivas, Ioar
Gómez-Roig, Maria Dolors
Llurba, Elisa
Blanco-Hinojo, Laura
Cirach, Marta
Persavento, Cecilia
Querol, Xavier
Gascón, Mireia
Foraster, Maria
Gispert, Juan Domingo
Falcón, Carles
Deus, Joan
Dadvand, Payam
Sunyer, Jordi
author2_role author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
dc.contributor.none.fl_str_mv European Commission
0000-0001-8948-4918
0000-0002-5929-8409
0000-0002-4743-619X
0000-0003-2329-1851
0000-0003-4537-8472
0000-0003-4450-4123
0000-0002-2602-4110
Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas [https://ror.org/02gfc7t72]
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Particulate matter
Brain development
Myelination
Neonates
http://metadata.un.org/sdg/11
http://metadata.un.org/sdg/9
http://metadata.un.org/sdg/3
Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
topic Particulate matter
Brain development
Myelination
Neonates
http://metadata.un.org/sdg/11
http://metadata.un.org/sdg/9
http://metadata.un.org/sdg/3
Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
description Early brain development is highly sensitive to environmental influences. While prenatal exposure to airborne particulate matter (PM2.5) has been broadly associated with harmful effects, PM2.5 also contains trace elements such as iron, copper and zinc, which are essential for brain growth. This study examined both the overall impact of prenatal PM2.5 exposure and the specific role of these trace elements on neonatal myelinated white matter-a key marker of brain maturation. This population-based study included 93 neonates recruited from three major hospitals in Barcelona (2018-2021). PM2.5 exposure was estimated for the embryonic and late fetal periods using land-use regression models incorporating time-weighted maternal mobility data. MRI was performed at 29 days postnatally. Global myelinated white matter was manually segmented, and automated cortical myelination measures were obtained in 85 cases. Associations were examined using linear regression models with and without adjustment for potential confounders. Higher prenatal PM2.5 exposure was associated with lower myelinated white matter content. Trace elements showed a similar pattern, but their associations became nonsignificant after adjusting for overall PM2.5 exposure. The findings suggest that prenatal air pollution exposure may delay early myelination. Moreover, no specific associations were identified for iron, copper, or zinc. However, given the dynamic nature of white matter maturation, such delays may not necessarily be detrimental. This study underscores the impact of environmental factors on neonatal brain development and the importance of stringent air quality policies, while emphasizing the need for longitudinal research to assess long-term cognitive and behavioral outcomes.
publishDate 2025
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2025
2025
2025
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501
Publisher's version
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv http://hdl.handle.net/10261/401763
https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/105016638318
url http://hdl.handle.net/10261/401763
https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/105016638318
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
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info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/EC/H2020/785994
info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/EC/H2020/886121
info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/EC/H2020/874583
Environment international
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2025.109801

dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Elsevier
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Elsevier
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
instname:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
instname_str Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
reponame_str DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
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spelling Unraveling the impact of prenatal air pollution for neonatal brain maturationPujol, JesusMartínez-Vilavella, GerardGómez-Herrera, LauraRivas, IoarGómez-Roig, Maria DolorsLlurba, ElisaBlanco-Hinojo, LauraCirach, MartaPersavento, CeciliaQuerol, XavierGascón, MireiaForaster, MariaGispert, Juan DomingoFalcón, CarlesDeus, JoanDadvand, PayamSunyer, JordiParticulate matterBrain developmentMyelinationNeonateshttp://metadata.un.org/sdg/11http://metadata.un.org/sdg/9http://metadata.un.org/sdg/3Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all agesBuild resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovationMake cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainableEarly brain development is highly sensitive to environmental influences. While prenatal exposure to airborne particulate matter (PM2.5) has been broadly associated with harmful effects, PM2.5 also contains trace elements such as iron, copper and zinc, which are essential for brain growth. This study examined both the overall impact of prenatal PM2.5 exposure and the specific role of these trace elements on neonatal myelinated white matter-a key marker of brain maturation. This population-based study included 93 neonates recruited from three major hospitals in Barcelona (2018-2021). PM2.5 exposure was estimated for the embryonic and late fetal periods using land-use regression models incorporating time-weighted maternal mobility data. MRI was performed at 29 days postnatally. Global myelinated white matter was manually segmented, and automated cortical myelination measures were obtained in 85 cases. Associations were examined using linear regression models with and without adjustment for potential confounders. Higher prenatal PM2.5 exposure was associated with lower myelinated white matter content. Trace elements showed a similar pattern, but their associations became nonsignificant after adjusting for overall PM2.5 exposure. The findings suggest that prenatal air pollution exposure may delay early myelination. Moreover, no specific associations were identified for iron, copper, or zinc. However, given the dynamic nature of white matter maturation, such delays may not necessarily be detrimental. This study underscores the impact of environmental factors on neonatal brain development and the importance of stringent air quality policies, while emphasizing the need for longitudinal research to assess long-term cognitive and behavioral outcomes.The AirNB project has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (AirNB projectERC- Advanced Grants 2018, agreement 785994). We would like to thank all the participants and their families for their generous collaboration. Thanks to all the researchers who work with the Mother-Child Barcelona Life Study Cohort- BiSC umbrella project. A full list of BiSC researchers can be found at https://projectebisc.org/en/team/. We extend our acknowledgment to the Health Effects Institute (4959-RFA17-1/18-1 – FRONTIER project); H2020 -EU.3.1.2. (874583 - ATHLETE project), H2020-EU.3.1.1. (GA964827 – AURORA project), the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement (886121); Agence nationale de sécurité sanitaire de l'alimentation, de l'environnement et du travail (2019/01/039 - HyPAXE project), AXA Research Fund (MOOD-COVID project), the Instituto de Salud Carlos III and the European Regional Development Fund - Maternal and Child Health and Development Network (RD16/0022/0014 and RD16/0022/0015), the AGAUR-Agència de Gestió d'Ajuts Universitaris de Recerca (2021 SGR 01570 - Population Neuroscience group), the Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CB06/02/0041), and the Instituto de Salud Carlos III and the European Union Next Generation EU - Primary Care Interventions to Prevent Maternal and Child Chronic Diseases of Perinatal and Developmental Origin Network (RD21/0012/0001 and RD21/0012/0003) for funding the umbrella BiSC cohort. The authors thank the iBEAT V2.0 Cloud group at the University of North Carolina for their assistance with the analysis (DOIs: 10.1007/978-3-030-00931-1_47, 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2013.12.038, 10.1016/j.media.2015.04.005, 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2018.03.042). Gerard Martínez-Vilavella thanks the Department of Clinical and Health Psychology at the Autonomous University of Barcelona for its assistance during his PhD.Peer reviewedElsevierEuropean Commission0000-0001-8948-49180000-0002-5929-84090000-0002-4743-619X0000-0003-2329-18510000-0003-4537-84720000-0003-4450-41230000-0002-2602-4110Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas [https://ror.org/02gfc7t72]202520252025info:eu-repo/semantics/articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501Publisher's versioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionhttp://hdl.handle.net/10261/401763https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/105016638318reponame:DIGITAL.CSIC. 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