Mat Gendle, assistant professor of psychology, co-wrote a recent article that was published in the Developmental Neuropsychology journal.
The paper, titled “Impaired neuropsychological functioning in lead-exposed children,” describes work assessing the effect of pediatric lead exposure on cognition in a sample of 5-and-a-half-year-old children.
Lead is a common pollutant in the environment, with pediatric exposure most commonly resulting from contact with contaminated soil or lead-based paint. The adverse effects of lead on cognitive and behavioral development are well documented, and a concentration of 10 micrograms/deciliter or greater of lead in blood is currently defined as a level of concern in pediatric populations by the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization.
However, the results of the study presented in the paper indicate that blood lead concentrations below this level of concern are associated with impairments in working memory, focused attention, attentional flexibility, planning, and problem solving in preschool-age children.
Gendle co-authored the article with colleagues at Cornell University and the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey’s Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.