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Lead exposure and behavior among young children in Chennai, India

Ananya Roy1, David Bellinger, Howard Hu

  • 1Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. aroyk@umich.edu

Environmental Health Perspectives
|December 19, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Lead exposure in young children is linked to increased anxiety, social issues, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Executive function and attention are particularly vulnerable to lead

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Health
  • Neuroscience
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • Lead exposure is a known risk factor for reduced IQ in children.
  • Limited research exists on lead's impact on specific behavioral and cognitive domains.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between blood lead levels and various neurobehavioral domains in children.
  • To determine the relative sensitivity of different neurobehavioral domains to lead exposure.

Main Methods:

  • Assessed blood lead levels in 756 children (ages 3-7) in Chennai, India.
  • Utilized teacher-reported questionnaires (Conners' Scales, BRIEF) to evaluate anxiety, social problems, inattention, hyperactivity, ADHD, and executive function.
  • Employed multivariate generalized estimating equations to analyze associations between lead levels and behavioral outcomes.

Main Results:

  • Mean blood lead level was 11.4 ± 5.3 µg/dL.
  • Significant associations found between blood lead and increased anxiety (β=0.27), social problems (β=0.20), and ADHD index scores (β=0.17).
  • Global executive function demonstrated the strongest association with blood lead levels (β=0.42).

Conclusions:

  • Elevated blood lead levels in young children correlate with a higher risk of neurobehavioral deficits and ADHD.
  • Executive function and attention appear to be particularly susceptible to the adverse effects of lead exposure.
  • Findings highlight the critical need for lead exposure prevention in early childhood to protect cognitive and behavioral development.
Abstract

Keywords:
ADHDIndiaanxietyblood leadchildrenexecutive functionsociability

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