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[MENTAL AND SPEECH DEVELOPMENT IN CHILDREN LIVING IN ECOLOGICALLY UNFAVOURABLE REGIONS OF GEORGIA]
A Chochia1, N Geladze1, K Gogberashvili1
1Tbilisi State Medical University, Department of Paediatric Neurology; Laboratory "Mrcheveli"; Centre of psychic health and prevention of drug addiction; Tbilisi, Georgia.
Georgian Medical News
|November 8, 2021
Summary
Children in Georgia exposed to lead (Pb) show varied cognitive development. Higher lead levels correlate with delayed awareness of false beliefs and restricted motivated behavior, impacting mental and speech development.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Developmental Psychology
- Neurotoxicology
Background:
- Ecological conditions in Georgian cities show significant anthropogenic contamination with xenobiotics.
- Elevated xenobiotic levels, particularly lead (Pb), are prevalent in children in Tbilisi, Batumi, and Kutaisi.
- Lead exposure in children can negatively impact cognitive and developmental outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between blood lead levels and the mental and speech development of children in ecologically unfavorable regions of Georgia.
- To assess cognitive functions, including verbal and nonverbal intelligence, neuropsychological development, and visual-motor skills, in relation to lead exposure.
- To identify specific developmental delays associated with different levels of lead contamination in children.
Main Methods:
- Studied children with normal development exposed to Pb levels of 5.0-10.0 mkg/dL (Group I, mean age 65.5 months) and higher than 10.0 mkg/dL (Group II, mean age 89.5 months).
- A control group with no detectable Pb in blood was included for comparison.
- Assessed intellectual development using Wexler verbal and nonverbal subtests, neuropsychological methods (Luria-Kristensen), and visual-motor/spatial skills (WBAVMA). Family situation was also considered.
Main Results:
- Children in Group I (5.0-10.0 mkg/dL Pb) showed normal mental and speech verbal awareness, comparable to controls.
- No significant age-related developmental differences were found in Group II (higher Pb levels).
- Significant delays in the development of second-order false belief awareness and restricted development of motivated behavior were observed in Group I children compared to Group II and controls.
Conclusions:
- Lead exposure, even at levels between 5.0-10.0 mkg/dL, can lead to specific cognitive deficits in children, including impaired theory of mind and executive functions.
- Ecologically unfavorable environments in Georgia pose a risk to child development due to xenobiotic contamination.
- Further research is needed to understand the long-term neurodevelopmental consequences of lead exposure in affected populations.
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