Exposure to Lead and Attentional and Behavioral Problems in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Kim, Eui Jung; Kim, Ji Hoon; Jung, Yoo Sook; Hong, Sung Do David; Yun, Kyu Wol

doi:10.12771/emj.2002.25.1.31

Ewha Med J 2002; 25(1):31-36

pISSN: 1598-7450

DOI: https://doi.org/10.12771/emj.2002.25.1.31

Original Article

Exposure to Lead and Attentional and Behavioral Problems in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Eui Jung Kim*, Ji Hoon Kim*, Yoo Sook Jung, Sung Do David Hong, Kyu Wol Yun

Author Information & Copyright ▼

Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Korea.

^*Department of Psychiatry, College fo Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University, Korea.

Copyright ⓒ 2002. Ewha Womans University School of Medicine. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Published Online: Mar 30, 2002

Abstract

Objectives

It is now generally accepted that lead low doses may influence behavioral and attentional problems in children. The selection of a treatment approach depends on a proper assessment of the cause of the problem. This study was carried out to investigate the relationship between exposure to lead and behavioral and attentional problems in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder(ADHD).

Methods

The participants were 62 boys, 6 to 12 years of age with ADHD. Children with probable causes of attentional or behavioral problems other than lead contamination were excluded from the study. Various aspects of behavioral problems were measured using questionnaires for parents and teachers. Attentional problems were measured with TOVA(The Test Of Variability of Attention). As an assessment of body lead burden, lead concentration in blood was measured.

Results

Mean lead concentration in blood was 3.39 1.32µg/dl. Correlations between lead concentration in blood and the possible confounding factors were not significant. The results were same as that of lead concentration in attentional and behavioral problems. Lead concentration was significantly correlated with the scores of TOVA : omission error(r=0.34, p<0.1) ; commission error(r=0.43, p<0.05) ; and variation(r=0.34, p<0.1). Correlations between lead concentration and social withdrawal subscale of CBCL were significant(r=0.33, p<0.01).

Conclusions

It appears that some link between low-level exposure to lead and performances exist.

Keywords: Lead; Attention; CPT(Continuous Performance Test)