# The 2020 ESPINA study follow-up Exam: Fungicides, Insecticides, Inflammation and Child Development

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · 2020 · $531,731

## Abstract

The sales of agricultural insecticides have steadily risen in the last 20 years and the use of fungicides
have skyrocketed in the last decade. Unfortunately, direct assessments of children's developmental toxicity in
relation to commonly used fungicides such as Azoles or Quinone Outside Inhibitors (QoI) are unavailable
because methods for their quantification in bio-specimens have only recently been developed. In experimental
studies, exposures QoI fungicides, resulted in epigenetic changes related to neuro-inflammation, and higher
levels of free-radicals. Azoles, another heavily used fungicide class, have also been linked with liver
inflammation and toxicity in-vitro. Azole fungicides share the same structure as azole antifungals used in
clinical practice, which are associated with elevations of liver enzymes in up to 20% of patients.
 Cholinesterase inhibitor insecticide exposures have been associated with short- and long-lasting
neurobehavioral/cognitive delays in children associated. Whether continuing exposures to organophosphates
or other insecticides such as neonicotinoids or pyrethroids can affect cognition in adolescence is unclear.
 We propose to conduct a follow-up investigation of adolescent participants (ages 16-21 y, n=535) of the
Secondary Pesticide Exposure among Children and Adolescents (ESPINA) study in 2020. This NIH-funded
study has examined participants in Pedro Moncayo County, Ecuador since 2008. Pedro Moncayo has one of
the highest concentrations of flower plantations in the Americas. The production of flowers involves a
disproportionately high use of fungicides. We plan to assess the ongoing and long-term associations of
pesticide exposures with neurocognition, and inflammatory markers (systemic, neuro and liver). To our
knowledge, this will be the first epidemiologic study of children/adolescents to evaluate health outcomes in
relation to fungicide and neonicotinoid exposures. This prospective study capitalizes on existing blood
measurements of insecticides in 2016 and acetylcholinesterase in 2008 and 2016.
 The specific aims are to test the following hypotheses: Urinary metabolites of insecticides in 2016
and 2020 (organophosphates, neonicotinoids, pyrethroids) and fungicides (Azoles, QoI) in 2016 are associated
with: 1) higher subclinical markers of systemic and neuro inflammation (CRP, TNF, IL-6, sICAM-1, sVCAM-1,
MCP-1, sCD14, sCD163); 2) Pesticides, particularly azole fungicides are associated with subclinical increases in
liver inflammation markers: transaminases (AST and ALT) and cytokeratin 18. We will test concurrent and
prospective associations with all inflammation markers in 2016-2018; 3) lower neur0-cognitive performance
in adolescence. We will test longitudinal associations of fungicides and insecticides with neurocognitive
performance, and will contrast such findings across pesticides to evaluate neurotoxic potencies. 4) As an
exploratory aim: we will assess mediating or modifying effects of inflammation on...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9716417
- **Project number:** 1R01ES030378-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO
- **Principal Investigator:** Jose Ricardo Suarez
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $531,731
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-09-18 → 2025-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9716417

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9716417, The 2020 ESPINA study follow-up Exam: Fungicides, Insecticides, Inflammation and Child Development (1R01ES030378-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9716417. Licensed CC0.

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