Motor Inhibition and Learning Impairments in School-Aged Children Following Exposure to Organophosphate Pesticides in Infancy
Pediatric Res. 2006 Jul;60(1):88-92.

• Validated memory and motor tests were performed on a cohort of 9-10 year old children who had been hospitalized for OP poisoning roughly 8 years earlier.
• The study found a small but statistically significant reduction in performance on a test of motor control (the Statue test, a NEPSY subtest).
• Deficits in memory were also observed, but these were not exclusive to OP poisoning – a control group with acute kerosene poisoning during early childhood had a similar memory reduction compared to healthy, non-toxin exposed controls.
• Given the small sample size of the study, it is notable that a statistically significant motor impairment was detected.
• Further follow-up studies such as this are needed to clarify the range of sequelae that follow acute childhood poisoning. Specifically, the potential for memory, learning, and attention deficits in children need to be addressed given cognitive and behavioral impairments seen in adult studies.