Jan. 27, 2009 -- Kids get all the attention when it comes to lead exposure because their developing brains are so vulnerable to the toxic metal. A growing body of research, however, suggests lead is dangerous to the aging brain, too. And it's not just recent exposure that matters. According to a new study, the more lead you take in throughout your life, the more steeply your brain will go downhill after age 55. "We all lose cognitive function as we age," neuropsychologist Lisa Morrow told Discovery News. That loss can be accelerated by a number of things over the years, she said, including alcohol consumption, head trauma, and other insults to the brain. "It seems lead is one of those things." In 1982, Morrow's colleagues at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine studied more than 450 men who worked blue-collar jobs in eastern Pennsylvania. About two-thirds of the men worked in lead battery plants. The rest did similar, but lead-free, work. In both groups, the average age was 30. Related Content: Get the Latest in Science and Tech News From Discovery HowStuffWorks.com: How Are We Exposed to Lead? Lead Exposure Linked to Violent Crime That study found higher levels of lead in the blood of the battery workers. But there wasn't much difference in how the groups performed on a series of brain-straining tests. Two decades later, Morrow and her team decided to follow up. The researchers knew that lead stays in the body for a long time -- migrating from the blood to the bones, where it remains for 50 years or more. They wondered how a lifetime of exposure might affect these men years later. The team tracked down nearly 150 men, almost 30 percent of the original group, whose average age was now 55. In addition to taking blood samples, the scientists scanned each man's tibia with a machine that reads bone lead levels. Finally, participants faced the same series of brain-challenging tasks they had completed for the original experiment. Tasks involved things like arranging blocks into designs and putting pegs in holes as fast as possible. Get More NewsSpiders, Scorpions Among World's Oldest CreaturesMany creepy crawlies have been on Earth much longer than previously believed.Blood-Sucking Vampire Bats Sing DuetsWhite-winged vampire bats "harmonize" with separated roost mates.Oldest Hebrew Writing Possibly FoundAncient inscriptions on a 3,000-year-old pottery shard could make history.Rare, Prehistoric-Age Reptile Found in N.Z.A tuatara has been spotted on the New Zealand mainland for the first time in 200 years.Iceman Has No Living RelativesOetzi, the 5,300 year-old frozen mummy, left no living genetic legacy.SLIDE SHOW: Landscapes of TerrorWhat makes a place feel scary? There are scientific explanations.It's Official: People Are Warming the PolesHumans are conclusively to blame for polar warming, say scientists.Eight-Armed Animal Preceded DinosaursWhat may be one of Earth's first animals was no bigger than a coaster and had eight arms.Phoenicians Live on in People's GenesOne in 17 Mediterranean men may be descended from ancient Phoenicians.Pesticides, Fertilizers Linked to Frog DeclineA pesticide is found to promote parasites among amphibians.Hubble Telescope Taking Photos AgainThe Hubble Space Telescope is once again snapping stunning photos of the universe.Andean Mummy Hairs Show Hallucinogen UseScientists find direct evidence of hallucinogenic drug use among ancient Andeans.Opals on Mars Reveal Planet's Long Wet PastOpals found on Mars suggest the planet has been wet for much longer. |
advertisement
Put Discovery News on Your Site!
|
-
our sites
-
video
mobile
-
shop
-
stay connected
-
corporate
