Effects of Low Levels of Lead Exposure on Cognitive Function—A Review

Abstract

The relationship between low levels of lead and cognitive functioning in animals is reviewed. The data suggest that within animals lead can produce a massive disruption of learning ability while not affecting either morbidity or mortality. Concentration of lead appears to insidiously cause damage to learning function where extremely low doses disrupt the hard-to-measure higher levels of cognitive function. It is concluded that the current standards of lead concentration should be reappraised in terms of measures of damage to cognitive learning.