Lead and PCBs as Risk Factors for Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Open accessAbstract
Objectives: Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most frequently diagnosed neurobehavioral disorder of childhood, yet its etiology is not well understood. In this review we present evidence that environmental chemicals, particularly polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and lead, are associated with deficits in many neurobehavioral functions that are also impaired in ADHD. Data sources: Human and animal studies of developmental PCB or lead exposures that assessed specific functional domains shown to be impaired in ADHD children were identified via searches of PubMed using “lead” or “PCB exposure” in combination with key words, including “attention,” “working memory,” “response inhibition,” “executive function,” “cognitive function,” “behavior,” and “ADHD.” Data synthesis: Children and laboratory animals exposed to lead or PCBs show deficits in many aspects of attention and executive function that have been shown to be impaired in children diagnosed with ADHD, including tests of working memory, response inhibition, vigilance, and alertness. Studies conducted to date suggest that lead may reduce both attention and response inhibition, whereas PCBs may impair response inhibition to a greater degree than attention. Low-level lead exposure has been associated with a clinical diagnosis of ADHD in several recent studies. Similar studies of PCBs have not been conducted. Conclusions: We speculate that exposures to environmental contaminants, including lead and PCBs, may increase the prevalence of ADHD.
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Direct evidence linking any specific EDC to a clearly defined clinical disorder involving the social brain is sparse, and no single chemical has yet been definitively implicated.
“Direct evidence linking any specific EDC to a clearly defined clinical disorder involving the social brain is sparse, and no single chemical has yet been definitively implicated (18, 21–25).”
From Endocrine Disruption of Vasopressin Systems and Related Behaviors (2017) · cites this paper as [25]
In “Lead and ADHD” (page not specified), the paper says the evidence linking lead exposure to ADHD is insufficient to infer causality. Its PCB discussion (page not specified) says the relationship between PCB exposure and an ADHD diagnosis remains essentially unexplored. These passages support uncertainty about those chemicals and ADHD, but the paper does not establish the broader claim about any specific EDC and clinical disorders involving the social brain. (LLM, conf=0.86)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredStudies of lead exposure in children provide evidence of impaired executive function and attention.
“Studies of lead exposure in children provide evidence of impaired executive function and attention [ 119 ].”
From DNA methylation: a mechanism linking environmental chemical exposures to risk of autism spectrum disorders? (2016) · cites this paper as [119]
Animal models of developmental lead exposure indicate changes in behavioral and neurochemical endpoints similar to those seen in children with ASD.
“Animal models of developmental lead exposure also indicate changes in behavioral and neurochemical endpoints similar to those seen in children with ASD [ 119 , 120 ].”
From DNA methylation: a mechanism linking environmental chemical exposures to risk of autism spectrum disorders? (2016) · cites this paper as [119]
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References 156 · Cited by 277
Research works printed but not linked: 1
- Baddeley A 1986 Working Memory New York Oxford University Press
- Authors
- Eubig, P. A., Aguiar, A., & Schantz, S. L.
- Affiliations
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (US)
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and
- Corresponding author
- Eubig, Paul A.
- Venue
- Environmental Health Perspectives
- Publisher
- American Chemical Society (ACS)
- Published
- 2010-09-09
- Volume
- 118
- Issue
- 12
- Pages
- 1654-1667
- ISSN
- 0091-6765 (ISSN-L)
- 1552-9924
- PMC
- PMC3002184
- OpenAlex
- W2025956906
- Cited by
- 277
- References
- 156
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 12 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 13 · 2021: 14 · 2020: 14 · 2019: 15 · 2018: 20 · 2017: 33 · 2016: 21 · 2015: 30 · 2014: 20 · 2013: 14 · 2012: 20
- FWCI
- 1.72
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- public-domain
- creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (vor, 2668 d)
- Locations
- Environmental Health Perspectives (publishedVersion, public-domain)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, public-domain)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (R01TS000072)
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (K08ES017045, ES015687, R01ES015687)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Heavy Metal Exposure and Toxicity
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Effects and risks of endocrine disrupting chemicals
- Keywords
- attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, lead exposure, polychlorinated biphenyls, environmental pollutants, neurobehavioral development, executive function, response inhibition, working memory, attention, children, ADHD risk factors
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity, Child, Environmental Exposure, Environmental Pollutants, Environmental Pollution, Humans, Lead, Polychlorinated Biphenyls, Risk Factors
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