Blood Lead Concentrations and Depressive and Anxiety Symptoms in Childhood

Is higher lead exposure during specific periods of childhood associated with increased depressive or anxiety symptoms in later childhood?In this cohort study of 218 caregiver-child dyads, increased childhood blood lead concentrations were associated with increased depressive symptoms in adolescence, with particularly large increases in depressive symptoms when exposure occurred later in childhood. No associations were observed with anxiety symptoms.In this study, cumulative and later-childhood lead exposure was associated with increased risk of child depressive symptoms, emphasizing the need for continued efforts to reduce lead exposure throughout childhood.

Corresponding Author: Christian Hoover, MPH, Department of Epidemiology, Brown University School of Public Health, 121 S Main St, Providence, RI 02903 (christian_hoover@brown.edu).

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