Lead exposure may lead to cognitive decline

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

Older adults who had lead exposure before the 1980s are now showing signs of cognitive decline, according to a new study.
It is already known that lead can harm the brain and nervous system. Levels of lead have gone down, thanks to changes in environmental legislation. But a new study from Johns Hopkins University now reveals the long term impact of lead exposure.

The researchers looked at a group of nearly 1,000 adults aged between 50 and 70 who had been exposed to higher levels of lead prior to the 1980s when they had been used in commercial products. The researchers looked at the amount of lead in the tibia, or shinbone, and also looked at results of cognitive tests. This showed that higher tibia lead levels were associated with poorer cognitive performance. The findings suggested that exposure to lead could be linked to two to six years of aging. The impact of lead exposure seems to be worse for African Americans; this may be because of differences in bone mineral density or because black people have had longer exposures to lead at work.

Source
Neurology online 13th September 2006

Please take a moment to give us your comments. For questions about Health matters you may check our "Questions & Answers" Portal and Service.