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Early lead exposure and neonatal jaundice: relation to neurobehavioral performance at 15 years of age
D Damm1, P Grandjean, T Lyngbye
1Odense University, Institute of Community Health, Denmark.
Insights
Children with past lead exposure showed no significant issues at age 15. However, those with neonatal jaundice and lead exposure experienced mild neurobehavioral deficits, suggesting increased sensitivity.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Neuroscience
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Low-level lead pollution poses environmental health risks.
- Childhood lead exposure can impact cognitive development and motor skills.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate long-term neurobehavioral effects of childhood lead exposure.
- To examine if neonatal jaundice modifies lead's impact on development.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study of children (n=141) with high vs. low postnatal lead exposure (dentin lead).
- Neurobehavioral assessments at age 15 using WISC, Bender Gestalt, Trail Making, Visual Gestalts.
- Analysis considering history of neonatal jaundice.
Main Results:
- No general lead-related neurobehavioral deficits detected at age 15.
- Children with neonatal jaundice and higher lead exposure showed mild deficits.
- These deficits included lower verbal IQ and reduced visuomotor coordination.
Conclusions:
- Moderate neonatal hyperbilirubinemia may increase vulnerability to lead neurotoxicity.
- Early life factors can influence susceptibility to environmental toxins.
- Further research needed on combined effects of neonatal conditions and lead exposure.
Abstract:
A cohort of children who attended first grade in 1983 was identified in a Danish community with low-level lead pollution. Two groups with high and low postnatal lead exposure were generated on the basis of the dentin-lead concentration in shed deciduous incisors. At age 8 years, examination of 162 children matched according to gender and socioeconomic status had shown lead-related deficits in verbal intelligence and visuomotor coordination. Re-examination was now carried out in 141 children at age 15 years using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC), Bender Visual Motor Gestalt, Trail Making, and Visual Gestalts. In general, no lead-related effects could be detected in the group. However, in children with a history of neonatal jaundice, increased lead exposure was associated with mild neurobehavioral deficits, as indicated by lower verbal IQ scores and decreased visuomotor coordination. This finding suggested that moderate neonatal hyperbilirubinemia may have precipitated an increased sensitivity to subsequent exposure to lead.