# Cyclical Alterations In Neurocognitive Performance And Mood Over Two Years In Relation To Pesticide Spray Seasons Among Adolescent And Young Adult Participants Of The Espina Study.

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · 2022 · $575,635

## Abstract

Today, 20% of adolescents and 26% of young adults have a diagnosable internalizing (e.g. anxiety, depression)
or externalizing problem (e.g. impulsivity, aggression, conduct disorders). Neurodevelopmental disabilities and
mental health disorders in adolescents and young adults have increased over the last two decades worldwide,
and environmental contaminants may explain a part of this increase. The most used insecticides worldwide
include organophosphates (OPs: inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase (AChE)), pyrethroids and neonicotinoids.
Toxicological and epidemiological evidence links OP exposure with altered neurocognitive performance.
Additionally, a small number of studies have described associations with internalizing symptoms and some
externalizing behaviors (i.e. low inhibitory control). It is plausible neonicotinoids may also affect brain
processes as they share some toxicological mechanisms like OPs and emerging findings indicate pyrethroids
may affect brain processes and neurobehavior. Further, emerging studies suggest that pesticides may
transiently affect cognitive performance and mood. Assessing transient health outcomes is complex, which has
led to limited knowledge on this field. We propose a renewal of our 2016 study of adolescents and young adults
(ages 18-23 years in 2022, n≈554) and builds on the planned 2022 follow-up exam of the NIH-funded Study of
Secondary Pesticide Exposures among Children and Adolescents (ESPINA). The proposed study incorporates a
novel mobile health assessment tool to evaluate the real-world neurotoxic effects of pesticides. ESPINA is a
study established in 2008 of participants residing in Pedro Moncayo, Ecuador, a county with one of the highest
concentrations of flower plantations in the Americas. Leveraging our smartphone-based ecological momentary
cognitive testing (EMCT) platform, we will assess whether recurring and seasonal pesticide exposures in
adolescence and young adulthood affect cognition and mental health. Using a burst sampling design 5
times/year for 2 years during high- and low-pesticide spray seasons, we will test the hypotheses: 1) pesticide
spray seasons are associated with cyclical alterations in internalizing symptoms, externalizing behaviors, and
cognitive performance assessed using EMCT; 2) pesticide exposures (AChE inhibition and OP and pyrethroid
urinary pesticide metabolites) assessed during 5 agricultural periods are related to elevated depressive and
externalizing symptoms, and decreased cognitive performance assessed using EMCT; 3) Urinary pesticide
metabolites (OP, neonicotinoids, pyrethroids) are associated with increased mental health symptoms from
2016 to 2022 when all participants were adolescents, and whether age, sex and COVID-19-related factors (e.g.,
exposure; psychosocial stressors) modify the associations between environmental exposures and mental
health. Identifying cognitive and mental health sequelae related to agricultural pesticide spray seasons on
people living...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10367408
- **Project number:** 2R01ES025792-06A1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO
- **Principal Investigator:** Raeanne Cristine Moore
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $575,635
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2016-04-01 → 2027-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10367408

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10367408, Cyclical Alterations In Neurocognitive Performance And Mood Over Two Years In Relation To Pesticide Spray Seasons Among Adolescent And Young Adult Participants Of The Espina Study. (2R01ES025792-06A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10367408. Licensed CC0.

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