Blood lead concentrations and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in Korean children: a hospital-based case control study

Because the developing brain of a child is vulnerable to environmental toxins, even very low concentration of neurotoxin can affect children's neurodevelopment. Lead is a neurotoxic heavy metal which has the harmful effect on the striatal-frontal circuit of brain. This area of the brain is know...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:BMC pediatrics 2016-09, Vol.16 (1), p.156-156, Article 156
Main Authors: Park, Jae Hong, Seo, Ju-Hee, Hong, Young-Seoub, Kim, Yu-Mi, Kang, Je-Wook, Yoo, Jae-Ho, Chueh, Hee Won, Lee, Jung Hyun, Kwak, Min Jung, Kim, Jeongseon, Woo, Hae Dong, Kim, Dong Woo, Bang, Young Rong, Choe, Byeong Moo
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Age
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
Blood diseases
Children
Children & youth
Consent
Dopamine
Environmental health
Etiology
Health aspects
Hyperactivity
Hypotheses
Impulsivity
Lead in the body
Management
Neurotoxicity
Pathophysiology
Population-based studies
Questionnaires
Risk factors
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Summary:Because the developing brain of a child is vulnerable to environmental toxins, even very low concentration of neurotoxin can affect children's neurodevelopment. Lead is a neurotoxic heavy metal which has the harmful effect on the striatal-frontal circuit of brain. This area of the brain is known to be closely related to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) pathophysiology. The primary objective of the present study was to investigate whether elevated blood lead concentration is a risk factor for ADHD. The secondary objective was to examine the association between blood lead concentration and symptom severity. We conducted a frequency-matched, hospital-based case-control study with 114 medically diagnosed ADHD cases and 114 controls. The participants were matched for age and sex. The diagnoses of ADHD were assessed with semi-structured diagnostic interviews. The participants completed the continuous performance test (CPT), and their parents completed the ADHD-rating scale (ADHD-RS). Blood lead concentrations were measured by using graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry featuring Zeeman background correction. Children with ADHD exhibited blood lead concentrations that were significantly higher than those of the controls ( 1.90 ± 086 μg/dℓ vs. 1.59 ± 0.68 μg/dℓ, p = 0.003). The log transformed total blood lead concentration was associated with a higher risk of ADHD (OR: 1.60, 95 % CI: 1.04-2.45, p 
ISSN:1471-2431
1471-2431
DOI:10.1186/s12887-016-0696-5