Role of fruits, grains, and seafood consumption in blood cadmium concentrations of Jamaican children with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder

Mohammad H. Rahbar, Maureen Samms-Vaughan, Aisha S. Dickerson, Katherine A. Loveland, Manouchehr Ardjomand-Hessabi, Jan Bressler, Minjae Lee, Sydonnie Shakespeare-Pellington, Megan L. Grove, Deborah A. Pearson, Eric Boerwinkle

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

17 Scopus citations

Abstract

Human exposure to cadmium has adverse effects on the nervous system. Utilizing data from 110 age- and sex-matched case-control pairs (220 children) ages 2-8 years in Kingston, Jamaica, we compared the 75th percentile of blood cadmium concentrations in children with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). In both univariable and multivariable Quantile Regression Models that controlled for potential confounding factors, we did not find any significant differences between ASD cases and typically developing (TD) controls with respect to the 75th percentile of blood cadmium concentrations (P > 0.22). However, we found a significantly higher 75th percentile of blood cadmium concentrations in TD Jamaican children who consumed shellfish (lobsters, crabs) (P < 0.05), fried plantain (P < 0.01), and boiled dumpling (P < 0.01). We also observed that children living in Jamaica have an arithmetic mean blood cadmium concentration of 0.16 μg/L which is similar to that of the children in developed countries and much lower than that of children in developing countries. Although our results do not support an association between blood cadmium concentrations and ASD, to our knowledge, this study is the first to report levels of blood cadmium in TD children as well as those with ASD in Jamaica.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1134-1145
Number of pages12
JournalResearch in Autism Spectrum Disorders
Volume8
Issue number9
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 2014
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Autism Spectrum Disorder
  • Cadmium
  • Fruits
  • Grains
  • Jamaica
  • Seafood

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Developmental and Educational Psychology
  • Clinical Psychology
  • Psychiatry and Mental health

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