Childhood lead exposure linked to criminal behavior in young adulthood
Posted by Administrator (admin) on May 29 2008 at 3:47 PM
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Children who have been exposed to lead at a young age are more likely to be under arrest later in their life.

According to a study, elevated blood lead levels, both in the pregnant mother and in the child, are associated with violence and criminal behavior in young adulthood.

"I never would have thought that we would be seeing these effects into the later 20s. I'm actually quite astounded and quite worried about this. Although lead levels have been going down in this country, a large proportion of the population now in their 20s and 30s had blood levels in this neurotoxic range," said Kim Dietrich, principal investigator of the study and professor of environmental health at UC.

Dietrich said that pervious studies either relied on indirect measures of lead exposure or didn’t succeed to follow subjects into adulthood to examine the relationship between lead exposure and criminal activity in young adults.

"We have monitored this specific sub-segment of children who were exposed to lead both in the womb and as young children for nearly 30 years. We have a complete record of the neurological, behavioral and developmental patterns to draw a clear association between early-life exposure to lead and adult criminal activity," he said.

Childhood lead exposure has been connected to anti-social behavior, hyperactivity, lower IQ, attention deficits, and weak executive control functions, all of which are risk factors for future criminal behavior. Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, especially, is a risk factor for adult criminal behavior. Additionally, studies say that sales of leaded gasoline or high atmospheric lead levels also are linked with criminal behavior.

Although use has been shortened in recent times, lead was widely used in the past in paint, solder for water pipes and gasoline. Lead paint and solder was banned by the U.S. government in 1978 and 1986 respectively. Leaded gasoline was phased out by 1996. As a result of this, the number of U.S. children with elevated blood lead levels was dramatically decreased from 13.5 million in 1978 to 310,000 in 2002.

However, almost all older buildings still have lead paint on the walls and windowsills. The U.S. government had issued new regulations earlier this year, which were meant to guard children from exposure to lead-based paint during repairs and renovations to homes and buildings. These rules are expected to take effect in 2010.

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