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4) Eight cohort studies on effects on infantile nerve
development have appeared since 2001, but without a unanimous
conclusion about effects of organochlorines. Effects of prenatal
exposure to environmental tobacco smoke, polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons and organophosphate pesticides have been reported.
Several cohort studies, including those before 2001, have been
conducted in different regions on effects of organochlorine
compounds on infantile nerve development. However, since effects
of other factors, evaluation criteria of exposure and nerve
development, or the timing of evaluation are not standardized,
they do not definitively support the relevance.
5) A nested case-control study on organic solvent and
infertility has appeared since 2001.
Several studies, including those before 2001, have reported
reduced semen quality in populations exposed to high-level
chemicals. This may, however, result from testicular toxicity of
the agents and therefore does not necessarily support endocrine
disruption.
6) In the newly added field of effects on immune functions,
three cohort studies were found. While high-level PCB exposure
of adults was reported to increase allergy risk, exposure to
environmental level in the fetal or infant period seems to
decrease the risk. At present, no definitive conclusion is
possible.[Future tasks]
1) Establishing population representative of the Japanese to
assess and monitor exposure to suspected endocrine disruptors
and diseases possibly caused by the exposure.
2) Promoting large-scale epidemiologic studies chiefly on
Japanese populations involving collection and use of biological
samples.
3) Continuing research information gathering, review and
summarization, which is made available to public with regular
updates.
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