J Child Psychol Psychiatry

Childhood lead exposure from gasoline linked to long-term mental health issues

December 6, 2024

Study design: This retrospective cohort study combined serial, cross-sectional blood-lead level (BLL) data from National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) with historical leaded-gasoline data to estimate childhood BLLs from 1940 to 2015.

Results: The study estimated that by 2015, childhood lead exposure had contributed to a 0.13-standard-deviation (SD) increase in overall liability to mental illness, resulting in 151 million excess mental health disorders. Specific findings included a 0.64-SD increase in internalizing symptoms, a 0.42-SD increase in ADHD symptoms, a 0.14-SD increase in neuroticism, and a 0.20-SD decrease in conscientiousness. The most affected cohorts were those born between 1966 and 1986.

Impact on clinical practice: These findings highlight the significant long-term mental health burden associated with childhood lead exposure. Public health interventions to reduce lead exposure could have substantial benefits for mental health outcomes.

Source:

McFarland MJ, et al. (2024, December 4). J Child Psychol Psychiatry. Contribution of childhood lead exposure to psychopathology in the US population over the past 75 years. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39628272/