Nutritional and Heavy Metals: Effects on Child Learning and Behavior in Uruguay

描述（由申请人提供）：低收入到中等收入国家儿童的神经发育障碍对社会和经济增长产生重大负面影响。造成发育障碍的许多原因，如环境毒素、营养不良、心理社会压力，在资源贫乏的国家很常见。幼儿特别容易受到环境暴露的伤害，因为快速发育为毒素发挥作用创造了机会。在世界上对神经发育障碍的研究很少的地区，有必要评估认知和行为缺陷的患病率和性质。在乌拉圭蒙得维的亚，有证据表明儿童暴露于多种重金属。然而，到目前为止，很少有研究存在于这个独特的设置，以了解多种金属暴露对城市儿童的认知，行为和学校表现的影响。也没有关于如何预防或减轻这些风险的研究。我们建议进行一项调查，在200名6-7岁的儿童从蒙得维的亚，乌拉圭的认知性能和行为。学龄早期是智力和社会成长的重要时期，它确立了儿童的学习轨迹。在这个时候，学习障碍往往成为表现和诊断儿童。这也是一个环境侮辱明显表现出来的时代。该项目的目标是建立环境流行病学的研究能力和基础设施。此外，它是调查重金属暴露（铅，砷，汞），微量金属（铁和锰）和认知，行为和学校表现在蒙得维的亚，乌拉圭儿童之间的关系。在收集数据的过程中，我们将确定研究过程中需要额外培训或资源的关键步骤。公共卫生相关性：低收入至中等收入国家儿童的神经发育障碍对社会和经济增长产生重大负面影响。造成发育障碍的许多原因，如环境毒素和营养不良，在资源贫乏的国家很常见。我们将对乌拉圭蒙得维的亚200名6-7岁儿童的认知表现和行为进行调查，以了解重金属暴露（铅，砷，汞），微量金属（铁和锰）与儿童认知，行为和学校表现之间的复杂关系。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Neurodevelopmental disabilities in children from low-to-middle income countries produce a substantial negative impact on societal and economic growth. Many of the causes of developmental disabilities, such as environmental toxins, nutritional deficiencies, psychosocial stressors, are common in resource-poor countries. Young children are particularly vulnerable to environmental exposures because rapid development creates windows of opportunity for toxins to exert their effects. In areas of the world where little research on neurodevelopmental disabilities has been conducted, it is necessary to assess the prevalence and nature of cognitive and behavioral deficits. In Montevideo, Uruguay, there is evidence that children are exposed to multiple heavy metals. However, to date very little research exists in this unique setting to understand the effects of multiple metal exposures on cognition, behavior, and school performance of urban children. There is also no research on how these exposures could be prevented or mitigated. We propose to conduct an investigation of cognitive performance and behavior in 200 children aged 6-7 years from Montevideo, Uruguay. Early school age is a period of important intellectual and social growth, and it sets up children's scholastic trajectories. At this time, learning disabilities often become manifested and diagnosed in children. It is also an age when environmental insults are clearly manifested. The goal of this project is to build research capacity and infrastructure in environmental epidemiology. Also, it is to investigate the relationship between heavy metal exposures (lead, arsenic, mercury), trace metals (iron and manganese) and cognition, behavior, and school performance in children from Montevideo, Uruguay. In the process of collecting data, we will identify key steps in the research process that will require additional training or resources. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Neurodevelopmental disabilities in children from low-to-middle income countries produce a substantial negative impact on societal and economic growth. Many of the causes of developmental disabilities, such as environmental toxins and nutritional deficiencies are common in resource-poor countries. We will conduct an investigation of cognitive performance and behavior in 200 children aged 6-7 years from Montevideo, Uruguay to understand the complex relationship between heavy metal exposures (lead, arsenic, mercury), trace metals (iron and manganese), and cognition, behavior, and school performance in children.