The Consequences of Childhood Lead Exposure Are Enduring

Childhood exposure to lead has long been associated with cognitive and academic problems. To determine whether problems persist into adulthood, investigators analyzed data from 579 of 1037 children born in Dunedin, New Zealand, who had blood lead levels determined at age 11 years. Members of the cohort also had received psychopathology and personality assessments every 2 to 6 years to age 38.

A startling 94% of lead levels were above the value currently considered clinically important (5 µg/dL). Over nearly 30 years of follow-up, higher blood lead levels were associated with more internalizing and thought-disorder symptoms, higher neuroticism, and lower agreeableness and conscientiousness in analyses controlling for socioeconomic status, mat…