| Lead
accelerates
aging
process
years
after
exposure
Website:
www.aan.com
Oct.
24,
2000,
ST.
PAUL,
MN
-
Lead
exposure
on
the
job
can
cause
progressive
declines
in
memory
and
learning
abilities
nearly
two
decades
later,
according
to
a
study
in
the
October
24
issue
of
Neurology,
the
scientific
journal
of
the
American
Academy
of
Neurology.
The
study
compared
535
former
chemical
manufacturing
employees
exposed
to
lead
at
work
to
118
non-exposed
people
from
the
same
neighborhoods.
"The
effects
of
the
average
level
of
bone
lead
found
in
former
lead
workers
was
like
five
more
years
of
aging
on
the
brain,"
said
Brian
Schwartz,
MD,
of
Johns
Hopkins
School
of
Hygiene
and
Public
Health
in
Baltimore,
MD.
The
study
participants
were
followed
for
four
years,
undergoing
two
to
four
sets
of
neurological
tests
with
an
average
of
one
year
between
tests.
The
former
workers
had
an
average
of
8
years
of
occupational
exposure
to
lead
with
an
average
of
16
years
since
last
working
with
lead.
The
first
year
of
the
study,
lead
levels
were
determined
through
blood
tests,
while
follow
up
visits
measured
lead
levels
in
bone
through
a
technique
called
x-ray
fluorescence.
"The
higher
the
peak
level
of
lead
determined
in
former
lead
workers,
the
greater
the
decline
in
brain
functions,"
Schwartz
said.
"Since
these
declines
were
seen
long
after
exposure
to
lead
had
stopped,
it
suggests
that
the
effect
of
lead
on
the
brain
is
progressive."
The
workers
not
only
had
greater
declines
in
test
scores
due
to
lead,
but
also
in
normal
age-related
declines
in
brain
functions,
Schwartz
said.
Significant
differences
were
discovered
between
the
former
workers
and
other
participants
in
tests
involved
in
visual
construction,
verbal
memory
and
learning,
visual
memory,
planning
and
organizational
ability,
and
manual
dexterity.
"We
know
there's
a
decline
in
brain
power
as
we
get
older
--
generally
we
call
this
'normal
aging,'"
said
Schwartz.
"Most
of
the
research
has
been
about
how
chemicals,
like
lead,
affect
kids.
This
is
the
first
study
to
explore
long-term
problems
caused
by
exposure
to
chemicals
as
adults.
Some
of
what
we
have
been
calling
'normal
aging'
may
in
fact
be
due
to
past
exposures
to
chemicals
or
other
agents
that
can
affect
the
central
nervous
system.
This
is
potentially
a
very
important
health
problem."
The
American
Academy
of
Neurology,
an
association
of
more
than
16,000
neurologists
and
neuroscience
professionals,
is
dedicated
to
improving
patient
care
through
education
and
research.
A
neurologist
is
a
medical
doctor
with
specialized
training
in
diagnosing,
treating
and
managing
disorders
of
the
brain
and
nervous
system.
For
more
information
about
the
American
Academy
of
Neurology,
visit
its
Web
site
at
www.aan.com.
For
online
neurological
health
and
wellness
information,
visit
NeuroVista
at
www.aan.com/neurovista.
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