A prospective study of the neurological effects of lead in children

In the past three years, our research group has investigated the relationship between lead exposure and mental and behavioural development. This has been carried out through studies in children and studies in animals. Earlier studies in children have shown that associations might be expected between environmental exposure to lead and various aspects of cognitive and behavioural development. Our study has examined, and continues to examine, a cohort of 151 children subdivided into three groups according to the level of lead exposure during early in utero development as assessed by maternal blood lead concentration and water lead exposure in early pregnancy. Data amassed to date include measurement of psychometric function and postnatal development at the ages of 1 and 2, together with biochemical measures of lead exposure. Assessment will continue through to early scholastic performance and will include measurement of deciduous tooth lead concentration as an integrated measure of long-term exposure.