Jelena Radić Nišević

Prenatal exposure to low-level methylmercury alters the child's fine motor skills at the age of 18 months☆

Objectives To compare motor, cognitive and language characteristics in children aged 18 months who were prenatally exposed to low‐level methyl‐mercury (MeHg), and to analyze the eventual differences in these characteristics in relation to cord blood THg concentration. Patients and methods The total number of 205 child‐mother pairs was included in the study, and total cord blood mercury was measured in 198 of them. Out of the 198 already measured samples, 47 of them have also been tested for methyl‐mercury in cord blood. Data regarding the 47 samples of MeHg levels has been used for calculating the correlation between cord blood THg and cord blood MeHg. MeHg and THg showed a significant correlation (r=0.95, p<0.05). One month after the delivery, mothers were asked to complete the questionnaire regarding socioeconomic factors, breastfeeding of their infants, and dietary habits during pregnancy. Neurodevelopmental assessment of motor, cognitive and language skills were conducted on 168 children using The Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition (BSID‐III). Regarding the cord blood THg concentration, 135 children were divided in 4 quartile groups. Their neurodevelopmental characteristics have been compared. Results The cord blood THg concentration median and inter‐quartile range was 2.98 ng/g (1.41–5.61 ng/g). There was a negative correlation between cord blood THg concentration and fine motor skills (rho=−0.22, p=0.01). It is evident that children grouped in 2nd,3rd and 4th quartile had statistically significant lower fine motor skills assessment related to those grouped in 1st quartile (2nd quartile −1.24, p=0.03; 3rd quartile −1.28, p=0.03; 4th quartile −1.45, p=0.01). The differences in fine motor skills assessments between children in 2nd and 3rd and 3rd and 4th quartile were not statistically significant. Conclusion Intrauterine exposure to low‐level THg (MeHg) is associated with alterations in fine motor skills at the age of 18 months. HighlightsPrenatal exposure to low‐level of methylmercury has a negative effect on fine motor skills in children at 18 months of age.Increase of methylmercury level in cord blood is in direct correlation with the decrease of fine motor skills.Cerebellum and its functions seems to be particularly affected by prenatal exposure to low level of methylmercury.

Prenatal mercury exposure, neurodevelopment and apolipoprotein E genetic polymorphism

Abstract The aim of the present study was to evaluate the association between prenatal exposure to mercury (Hg) and neurodevelopment of the child, taking into account genetic polymorphism of apolipoprotein E (Apoe) and other relevant confounders. Six hundred and one mother‐child pairs were recruited from the central Slovenia region and 243 from Rijeka, on the Croatian coast of the northern Adriatic. The total Hg in cord blood, Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition (Bayley‐III) assessment at 18 months of age and Apoe genotyping was performed on 361 children; 237 of them were from Slovenia and 124 from Croatia. The results showed negative association between low‐to‐moderate Hg exposure in children with normal neurodevelopmental outcome and cognitive and fine motor scores at 18 months of age as assessed by Bayley III. The Hg‐related decrease in cognitive score was observed only in children carrying at least one Apoe &egr;4 allele, while the decrease in fine motor scores was independent of the Apoe genotype. Adjusting for selenium (Se) and lead (Pb) levels, a positive association between Se and the language score and a negative association between Pb and the motor score was observed, but not in the subgroup of children carrying the &egr;4 allele. HighlightsApoe &egr;4 carriers showed negative association between cord blood Hg and cognitive score.Fine motor score was negatively associated with cord blood Hg in all children.Gene‐environment interaction was confirmed for the cognitive score..Se and Pb levels confounded the association between Hg and neurodevelopment.

PP14.10 – 2519: Seizure precipitants in adolescents with newly-diagnosed primary generalised epilepsy

Objective It is well known that first onset epileptic seizure in Primary Generalized Epilepsies (PGE) is related to precipitants such as lack of sleep, alcohol consumption and exposure to flickering light. In recent decade all epidemiological data reports increased incidence and younger age of exposure to alcohol consumption and deviant behaviours consistent with seizure precipitants. The aim of this study was to determine whether different adolescent social habits influence earlier onset of PGE and change the incidence of seizure provoking factors. Methods Retrospectively medical data of adolescents hospitalized on Department of Paediatric, University Hospital Centre Rijeka, Croatia with newly diagnosed PGE were analysed. Diagnosis was confirmed according to standardized ILAE criteria. Data has been obtained from 216 adolescents during the three periods: P1, 1996–2000; P2, 2001–2006; P3, 2007–2012. Seizure precipitants were defined as lack of sleep, alcohol consumption, watching television/computer and others. Chi-square, t, Kruskall-Wallis and ANOVA tests were used. Results There were 44.4% males and 55.6% female, mean age 13.4 years, with no significant difference in gender, age, type and incidence of PGE between the periods. Seizure after provoking factors had 74 (34.5%) adolescents. Statistically significant less adolescents in P1 (20%) were exposed to precipitants then in P2 (52.5%) and P3 (37.1%). Mean age of adolescents in whom seizure was provoked was in P1 15.2, in P2 14.2 and in P3 14.7 years, which was not significant. Conclusion It is evident increasing incidence of seizure precipitants in adolescence with PGE during the period from 1996. to 2012. with more precipitants in recent years. There is trend in decreasing median age of PGE incidence but without statistical significance. Those findings can be attributed to more common sleep lacking or/and higher alcohol consummation in adolescents due to changes in social habits in recent years.