ArticleJournal of child psychology and psychiatry, and allied disciplines2010
Confirmation and extension of association of blood lead with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and ADHD symptom domains at population-typical exposure levels.
Article in Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, and allied disciplines, 2010. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 80 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
80 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 199 citations in OpenAlex.
- Lead exposure and antisocial behavior: A systematic review of human and animal evidence.Environment international · 2025Pooled it
- Association between heavy metals exposure and risk of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis.European child & adolescent psychiatry · 2025Pooled it
- Exploring the link between toxic metal exposure and ADHD: a systematic review of pb and hg.Journal of neurodevelopmental disorders · 2024Pooled it
- A systematic review and meta-analysis examining the interrelationships between chemical and non-chemical stressors and inherent characteristics in children with ADHD.Environmental research · 2020Pooled it
- A Systematic Review on the Influences of Neurotoxicological Xenobiotic Compounds on Inhibitory Control.Frontiers in behavioral neuroscience · 2019Pooled it
- Sample-to-Answer Point-of-Care Blood Lead Level Test.Biosensors · 2026Article
- Visualizing Parcel-Level Lead Risk Using an Exterior Housing-Based Index.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2024Article
- Effects of Blood Lead Levels <10 µg/dL in School-Age Children and Adolescents: A Scoping Review.Pediatrics · 2024Article
- Lead Toxicity From Imported Jewelry.Pediatrics · 2024Article
- Epilepsy and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Connection, Chance, and Challenges.International journal of molecular sciences · 2023Review
- Article
- Lead exposure and antisocial behavior: A systematic review protocol.Environment international · 2022Article
- Detecting New Sources of Childhood Environmental Lead Exposure Using a Statistical Surveillance System, 2015-2019.American journal of public health · 2022Article
- Neurotoxicants, the Developing Brain, and Mental Health.Biological psychiatry global open science · 2022Article
- Article
- Lead Exposure Induced Neural Stem Cells Death via Notch Signaling Pathway and Gut-Brain Axis.Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity · 2022Article
- Review
- The effects of the exposure to neurotoxic elements on Italian schoolchildren behavior.Scientific reports · 2021Article
- ADHD: Reviewing the Causes and Evaluating Solutions.Journal of personalized medicine · 2021Review
- (Ascorb)ing Pb Neurotoxicity in the Developing Brain.Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland) · 2020Review
20 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundRecent studies have suggested that child attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and its symptom domains are related to blood lead level, even at background exposure levels typical in western countries. However, recent studies disagreed as to whether lead was related to inattention or hyperactivity-impulsivity within the ADHD domain. More definitive evaluation of these questions was sought.
methodsTwo hundred and thirty-six (236) children aged 6-17 years participated (61 ADHD-Combined type, 47 ADHD Predominantly Inattentive type, 99 non-ADHD control, 29 unclassified borderline, situational, or not otherwise specified (NOS) cases). Formal diagnosis was reliably established by a best estimate procedure based on a semi-structured clinical interview and parent and teacher ratings. Lead was assayed from whole blood using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry with a method detection limit of .3 microg/dL.
resultsBlood lead levels were slightly below United States and Western Europe population exposure averages, with a mean of .73 and a maximum of 2.2 microg/dL. This is the lowest level of blood lead ever studied in relation to ADHD. After statistical control for covariates including IQ and prenatal smoking exposure, blood lead was associated with ADHD-combined type but not inattentive type. Parent and teacher report indicated association of blood lead with Conners cognitive problems, but only teacher report showed effects on DSM-IV inattention symptoms. Blood lead was associated with hyperactivity-impulsivity in parent report regardless of measurement method, whereas teacher report effects depended on child treatment history.
conclusionsThese findings confirm that in children with typical US population lead exposure, careful identification of children with ADHD also identifies children with slightly elevated blood lead.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.