A new study from the University of Virginia has shed light on the extensive impact of lead exposure on individuals born between the late 1960s and mid-1980s in the U.S.
Researchers revealed that members of Generation X had historically high levels of exposure to lead due to car exhausts with leaded gasoline, which was widely used in automobiles beginning in the 1920s, and spread through the air for decades afterward. Such exposure is known to have lasting consequences on mental health, cognitive development and overall well-being.
“The average American was exposed to levels of lead in the ’60s, ’70s, ’80s and ’90s. … That, today, would have required clinical follow-up,” said Dr. Aaron Reuben, assistant professor of clinical neuropsychology at U.Va.
The study used historical data on leaded gasoline consumption and national blood lead surveillance to estimate childhood exposure levels for Americans now in their 30s, 40s and 50s. Reuben explained that lead exposure during early childhood, when the brain is most vulnerable, disrupts development and leads to a host of adverse outcomes.
“What we see is kids exposed to lead grow up to be adults who have more mental health problems, things like worse impulse control, greater emotional reactivity, greater propensity to feeling negative emotions,” Reuben told WTOP. “When you add all those things up, it appears that kids exposed to lead become adults with greater levels of psychopathology overall.”
The research also highlighted that lead exposure is “transdiagnostic,” meaning it elevates the risk for a broad range of mental health conditions.
Reuben pointed to specific disorders, such as ADHD, depression, anxiety, psychosis and conduct disorder, as being particularly associated with lead exposure.
“Lead appears to disrupt the brain’s development in a way that makes you more likely to have any kind of mental health problem,” he said.
The study estimates lead exposure could be linked to as many as 150 million cases of mental disorders in the U.S. over the past century.
As for potential solutions, Reuben emphasized the importance of maintaining overall health to mitigate some of the risks associated with lead exposure.
“Most of the lead you’ve been exposed to will be sequestered in your bones … where it doesn’t appear to do a ton of harm. I would like to keep the lead in there,” he said, recommending nutritious diets, weight training and other activities that promote bone health.
Additionally, he advised focusing on cardiovascular and brain health through healthy eating, regular exercise and by avoiding harmful habits, such as excessive alcohol consumption and smoking.
While the use of leaded gasoline has been phased out since the ’80s, Reuben warned the issue of lead contamination persists, particularly in industries such as car battery production.
“All that lead is going to go somewhere,” he said. “We need to stop using lead when there are good alternatives that are safer. End of discussion.”
WTOP’s Ivy Lyons contributed to this report.