{"id":3013,"date":"2026-01-14T14:38:59","date_gmt":"2026-01-14T19:38:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cimas.edu.ec\/?page_id=3013"},"modified":"2026-01-19T09:17:26","modified_gmt":"2026-01-19T14:17:26","slug":"proyecto-espina","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/cimas.edu.ec\/en\/proyecto-espina\/","title":{"rendered":"ESPINA RESEARCH STUDIO"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Study on Secondary Pesticide Exposure in Children and Adolescents \u2013 ESPINA<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\u00bfWhat is it?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The Secondary Pesticide Exposure Study in Infants, Children, and Adolescents (ESPINA) is an ongoing longitudinal research project in Pedro Moncayo Canton, Ecuador, running from 2008 to 2026. Its goal is to assess how pesticide exposure affects participants\u2019 physiology, growth, development, and mental health.<\/p>

Findings indicate that pesticides negatively impact physical, nutritional (increasing the prevalence of acute and chronic malnutrition), cognitive, and neurobehavioral development in children and adolescents, and elevate levels of depression and anxiety. Both short- and long-term effects have been evaluated.<\/p>

The project is carried out with support from the U.S. National Institutes of Health and local and national authorities in Ecuador. Currently, more than 500 participants are involved, many of whom began in 2008 as children. The study has produced over twenty publications indexed in SCOPUS, with Dr. Jos\u00e9 Ricardo Su\u00e1rez L\u00f3pez, founding partner of Fundaci\u00f3n Cimas and collaborator at the University of California, San Diego, serving as principal investigator.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\"FUNDACI\u00d3N<\/figure><\/div>
\"FUNDACI\u00d3N<\/figure><\/div>
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PHASES:<\/h5>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\u00bfWho participates?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Year 2008<\/h3>

A total of 313 children aged 4 to 9 years from Pedro Moncayo Canton were selected to participate in this cohort study, maintaining an approximately balanced distribution between children living with flower plantation workers and those who did not live with them and had no direct pesticide exposure. A balanced distribution between males and females was also maintained.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Year 2016<\/h3>

Two follow-up visits were conducted: April and July\u2013October. In April 2016, a second abbreviated examination was performed on 145 participants from the original visit and 185 newly recruited participants. In the third examination, from July to October 2016, 535 participants were assessed, of whom 404 had been examined in a previous visit and 131 were newly recruited. At that time, participants were aged 12 to 17 years.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Year 2022<\/h3>

A new follow-up examination was conducted, inviting all participants from previous periods. A total of 505 participants from the canton were examined, aged 17 to 25 years.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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\u00bfWhat Do the Participant Examinations Consist Of?<\/h4>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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A series of assessments have been conducted during the different study periods:<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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