Study of Organochlorine Pollutant Exposure and Its Effects on Child Development During Peripuberty in Guadeloupe

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are investigating the effects of exposure to chlordecone, an organochlorine insecticide, on child development in the French West Indies, focusing on children reaching the peripubertal age. This study follows children born to mothers who participated in the TIMOUN cohort between 2004 and 2007, aiming to understand how environmental pollution may impact cognitive and pubertal development. The research addresses concerns about the sensitivity of children and adolescents to environmental toxins and follows recommendations from health authorities and national plans. The study involves a follow-up of children born alive in the TIMOUN cohort who are now at peripubertal age. Researchers will conduct clinical examinations, collect questionnaires from parents about the childs health and lifestyle, and measure physical parameters such as height, weight, and cardiovascular function. Cognitive tests assessing verbal comprehension, perceptual reasoning, and working memory will be performed. Blood samples will be taken to measure steroid hormones and chlordecone levels. Participants will be assessed at the inclusion visit where cognitive development scores will be recorded, and pubertal development onset will be monitored through growth rate analysis. The study relies on social security affiliation and informed consent from both the minor and the parents. The total participation covers the peripubertal period, with data collected on health, lifestyle, physical growth, hormone levels, and cognitive function to understand the impact of prenatal and postnatal exposure to chlordecone.

Exposure to Organochlorine Pollutants and Impact on Development in the Peripubertal Age in Guadeloupe