Mental health issues could be linked to lead exposure in childhood

Exposure to lead during childhood may be linked to mental health and behavioral issues among U.S. individuals.

Estimates have suggested that more than 50% of the U.S. population may have been exposed to lead during childhood as a result of its former presence in gasoline.

In a study published in The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, investigators used blood-lead level data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys and historic leaded-gasoline data to determine mental health symptoms correlated with lead exposure between 1940 and 2015.

The investigators discovered that exposure to leaded gasoline may have contributed to an increase in the overall burden of mental health issues. They identified an excess of mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and neuroticism as well as a decrease in conscientiousness. The effects of leaded gasoline exposure were most prevalent among those born between 1966 and 1986.

The findings indicated that childhood exposure to lead may have caused more mental health issues than previously understood.

Read more: The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry

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