A new study published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry estimates that exposure to car exhaust from leaded gas during childhood has led to 151 million cases of psychiatric disorders over the past 75 years in the US population. The research, conducted by Aaron Reuben and colleagues, suggests that Americans born before 1996 experienced significantly higher rates of mental health problems, including depression and anxiety.
The study found that lead exposure during childhood can alter brain development, impair cognitive function, and increase the risk of long-term health impairments such as cardiovascular disease. The researchers used historical data on US childhood blood-lead levels, leaded-gas use, and population statistics to estimate the likely lifelong burden of lead exposure carried by every American alive in 2015.
According to the study’s findings, more than half of US children born between 1960 and 1980 had clinically concerning levels of lead in their blood when they were children, likely resulting in lower IQs and more mental health problems. The generation with the greatest lead exposures, Generation X (born 1965-1980), would have seen the greatest mental health losses.
The study’s authors emphasize that lead exposure can influence health today, even decades after initial exposure. They call for better protection of children from new lead exposures and a deeper understanding of the role lead has played in the health of the US population.
“Human brains are not equipped to keep up with lead toxicity,” said Reuben. “We need to make sure we protect our children from this toxic substance.”
Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-12-million-psychiatric-cases-exposure.html