The Methylation Capacity of Arsenic and Insulin Resistance are Associated with Psychological Characteristics in Children and Adolescents

Ying Chin Lin, Chien Tien Su, Horng Sheng Shiue, Wei Jen Chen, Yi Hua Chen, Cheuk Sing Choy, Hung Yi Chiou, Bor Cheng Han*, Yu Mei Hsueh

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal Article peer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

The goal of the present study was to compare the influence of the methylation capacity of arsenic, as well as insulin resistance on psychological characteristics of school students from elementary and junior high school. 296 elementary and 318 junior high school students participated in health examinations, completed questionnaires and determined their concentrations of urinary arsenic species and psychological characteristics. Insulin resistance was determined by means of the Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR). We found that HOMA-IR values were significantly related to increased score of the depression and anger after adjusted for age, gender, schools, father's educational levels, mother's educational levels, BMI, body fat, and urinary creatinine in all students. Anxiety scores and depression scores of junior high school children were significantly higher compared to elementary school children, but lower in disruptive behavior scores. HOMA-IR levels were significantly inversely related to self-concept scores in junior high school students. A greater urinary inorganic arsenic percentage (iAs%) was marginally significantly related to a higher depression score in junior high school students. This is the first study to show a relationship between HOMA-IR levels or urinary arsenic profiles and psychological distress in school students from elementary and junior high school.

Original languageEnglish
Article number3094
JournalScientific Reports
Volume7
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 01 12 2017

Bibliographical note

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© 2017 The Author(s).

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