Can prenatal chlorpyrifos exposure affect your child's brain differently based on their genes?

What's actually in it

Chlorpyrifos is an organophosphate pesticide still used on some crops globally. Residues enter your body through food and water. During pregnancy, chlorpyrifos crosses the placenta and reaches the baby's brain. Not all babies are equally vulnerable: genetic factors, especially the APOE gene, affect how much damage the chemical causes.

What the research says

A 2026 study in Toxics found that prenatal chlorpyrifos exposure caused different behavioral and epigenetic changes depending on the offspring's sex and APOE gene variant. Mice carrying the APOE e4 allele, the same gene linked to Alzheimer's risk in humans, were more susceptible to chlorpyrifos brain damage.

About 25% of people carry at least one copy of the APOE e4 allele. For these individuals, pesticide exposure during fetal development could have outsized effects on brain health.

Eat organic produce during pregnancy, especially if there's a family history of Alzheimer's or cognitive decline. Avoid pesticide use in and around your home.