This is a very interesting study providing compelling evidence that prenatal exposure to chlorpyrifos has enduring neurodevelopmental consequences, particularly in white matter and cortical organisation of the brain. As a neuroscience researcher working on paediatric neurodevelopmental diseases, I find it quite intriguing that the authors report alterations in fractional anisotropy and cortical thickness—hallmarks also commonly observed across a range of neurodevelopmental disorders.

White matter abnormalities are increasingly recognised as a central feature in conditions such as intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder, and ADHD, underscoring how disruptions to axonal development and myelination can have profound effects on cognition and motor function. What stands out here is the clear demonstration that such structural and metabolic vulnerabilities can arise not only from genetic insults but also from environmental exposures during critical periods of brain development.

These findings reaffirm the fact that the developing brain is exceptionally sensitive to both genetic and environmental insults (in this case chemical exposure) leading to neurodevelopmental deficits, reinforcing the urgent need for stronger public health protections.