Effects of Prenatal Arsenic, Cadmium, and Manganese Exposure on Neurodevelopment in Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

ABSTRACT: Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of prenatal heavy metal (arsenic, cadmium, manganese) exposure on infant neurodevelopment through a systematic review and meta-analysis, elucidating the toxicological mechanisms and dose-response relationships for consideration in environmental risk assessment. Methods: Following the PRISMA guidelines, systematic searches were conducted in PubMed, Embase, and other databases, ultimately resulting in 17 observational studies involving 6907 participants. Results: Arsenic (As): A 50% increase in arsenic exposure was associated with a reduction of 0.51 points in the Mental Development Index (MDI; 95% CI: -1.43 to 0.4) and 0.15 points in the Psychomotor Development Index (PDI; 95% CI: -0.96 to 0.65). However, t

SUBMITTER: Su R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12300850 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature