Psychological dysfunctions in lead-exposed workers. Relation to biological parameters of exposure.

Grandjean, Philippe; Arnvig, Eva; Beckmann, J

doi:10.5271/sjweh.2696

Cited by 82 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…Less severe neurologic and behavioral effects have been documented in lead-exposed workers with BPb levels between 40 and 120 µg/dL. Evidence consistently indicates that lead-exposed workers perform worse on tests of visual motor functioning, reaction time, memory, attention, and concentration, with effects on mood also often being noted (Arnvig et al 1980;Baker et al 1984;Campara et al 1984;Grandjean et al 1978;Haenninen et al 1978;Hogstedt et al 1983;Schwartz et al 2001;Stollery 1996;Stollery et al 1991;Valciukas et al 1978).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cognitive deficits and magnetic resonance spectroscopy in adult monozygotic twins with lead poisoning.

Weisskopf

Mulkern

et al. 2004

Environ Health Perspect

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Seventy-one-year-old identical twin brothers with chronic lead poisoning were identified from an occupational medicine clinic roster. Both were retired painters, but one brother (J.G.) primarily removed paint and had a history of higher chronic lead exposure. Patella and tibia bone lead concentrations measured by K-X-ray fluorescence in each brother were 5-10 times those of the general population and about 2.5 times higher in J.G. than in his brother (E.G.). Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) studies examined N-acetylaspartate:creatine ratios, a marker of neuronal density. Ratios were lower in J.G. than in his brother. Scores on neurocognitive tests that assess working memory/executive function were below expectation in both twins. Short-term memory function was dramatically worse in J.G. than in his brother. These results demonstrate some of the more subtle long-term neurologic effects of chronic lead poisoning in adults. In particular, they suggest the presence of frontal lobe dysfunction in both twins, but more dramatic hippocampal dysfunction in the brother with higher lead exposure. The MRS findings are consistent with the hypothesis that chronic lead exposure caused neuronal loss, which may contribute to the impairment in cognitive function. Although a causal relation cannot be inferred, the brothers were genetically identical, with similar life experiences. Although these results are promising, further study is necessary to determine whether MRS findings correlate both with markers of lead exposure and tests of cognitive function. Nevertheless, the results point to the potential utility of MRS in determining mechanisms of neurotoxicity not only for lead but also for other neurotoxicants as well.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cognitive deficits and magnetic resonance spectroscopy in adult monozygotic twins with lead poisoning.

Weisskopf

Mulkern

et al. 2004

Environ Health Perspect

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“…Findings from occupational studies indi cate that the functions most severely impaired by lead are those dependent on visual-motor coordination and visual memory [28,29,[38][39][40], Occupational study findings consistently indicate that lead-exposed groups perform worse than control groups on tests of atten tion, concentration and memory [27,30,[41][42][43], Overall intelligence and logical reasoning ability have not shown significant decline in these studies. These findings are consistent with ours; however, it must be emphasized that the lead-exposed workers of these occu pational studies had blood lead levels (>25 pg/dl) higher than the population of the present study, so comparisons must be made with caution.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Blood Lead Levels on Cognitive Function of Older Women

et al. 1996

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Elevated blood lead concentrations are known to have detrimental effects on neuropsychological function in both children and occupational cohorts of men and women. Although it is generally accepted that lead exposure at low levels is more dangerous for infants and children than for adults, the issue of the lowest level of exposure at which lead causes deleterious health effects in adults is yet to be solved. There is no available data on the role of lead exposure in cognitive dysfunction in nonoccupational cohorts of older persons. In the current study, we examined the cross-sectional relationship between blood lead levels and a variety of measures of neuropsychological function in a large cohort of elderly women recruited at both urban and rural sites. This study of elderly women demonstrates that blood lead levels as low as 8 µg/dl were significantly associated with poorer cognitive function as measured by certain neuropsychological tests. Even a slight decrement in cognition would have a large public health impact due to the large number of elderly at risk.

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“…Cross-sectional studies of lead-exposed workers have shown a variety of neuropsychological effects quantitatively related to blood lead levels (11)(12)(13)(14)(15) …”

Section: Epidenmiological Applicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Epidemiological studies of neurotoxic, reproductive, and carcinogenic effects of complex mixtures.

Shy

1993

Environ Health Perspect

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Neurotoxic, reproductive, and carcinogenic effects are potentially important health end points in epidemiological studies of complex mixtures, particularly when such mixtures contain volatile organic compounds or trace metals. Epidemiological studies of neurotoxicity often will require direct clinical, behavioral, and/or physiological testing of study subjects, because these effects are likely to be subtle and not identifiable as clearly defined diseases. Peripheral nervous system toxicity can be assessed by clinical neurologic examinations, by electrophysiological tests of nerve conduction, and by physiological tests of thresholds for neurosensory perception, though these tests require considerable standardization for use outside the clinical setting, and most of the available tests have not been assessed for their utility in detecting effects of neurotoxic exposures. Neurobehavioral effects of exposures to solvents, as examples of complex mixtures, have been studied widely; but batteries of tests are often used, and these have not been well standardized and are generally unfamiliar to most research investigators in this area. Recently standardized neurobehavioral test systems developed by the World Health Organization and by a U.S. group for use in field studies, show promise in detecting neurobehavioral effects at relatively low environmental exposures. Similarly, new and sensitive measures of disturbed reproductive function, such as time-to-conception and biochemical indices of early pregnancy loss, are affected by some low-concentration environmental agents; but those measures have not yet been applied to studies of complex mixtures. Because of the long latency problem and small expected relative risks, population-or community-based studies of the carcinogenic effects of complex mixtures are unlikely to yield data of adequate quality to justify more than exploratory studies of carcinogens in ambient air.

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Psychological dysfunctions in lead-exposed workers. Relation to biological parameters of exposure.

Cited by 82 publications

References 16 publications

Cognitive deficits and magnetic resonance spectroscopy in adult monozygotic twins with lead poisoning.

Cognitive deficits and magnetic resonance spectroscopy in adult monozygotic twins with lead poisoning.

Effects of Blood Lead Levels on Cognitive Function of Older Women

Epidemiological studies of neurotoxic, reproductive, and carcinogenic effects of complex mixtures.

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