The ever increasing popularity of organic foods that keep pesticide use to a minimum seems to be saying a lot about the how individuals are becoming more health aware. According to a team of scientists from the Université de Montréal and Harvard University, exposure to organophosphate pesticides seems to be linked with an augmented risk of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children.
An association was discovered between pesticides exposure and the occurrence of ADHD symptoms. This new study was mainly centered on 1,139 children from the general U.S. population. The pesticide level in the urine of these kids was then measured.
“Previous studies have shown that exposure to some organophosphate compounds cause hyperactivity and cognitive deficits in animals. Our study found that exposure to organophosphates in developing children might have effects on neural systems and could contribute to ADHD behaviors, such as inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity,†commented lead author Maryse F. Bouchard, a professor at the Université de Montréal Department of Environmental and Occupational Health and scientist at the Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Center.
Apparently exposure to organophosphate pesticides at levels that appear to be common among US children could be contributing to a diagnosis of ADHD.
The study is published in the journal Pediatrics.