The Association between Lead and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Systematic Review

Gabriele Donzelli, Annalaura Carducci, Agustin Llopis-Gonzalez, Marco Verani, Agustin Llopis-Morales, Lorenzo Cioni and María Morales-Suárez-Varela
Additional contact information
Gabriele Donzelli: Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Food Sciences, Toxicology and Legal Medicine, School of Pharmacy, Universitat de Valencia. Avenida Vicente Andres Estellés s/n, Burjassot, 46100 Valencia, Spain
Annalaura Carducci: Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Via Luca Ghini, 13-56126 Pisa, Italy
Agustin Llopis-Gonzalez: Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Food Sciences, Toxicology and Legal Medicine, School of Pharmacy, Universitat de Valencia. Avenida Vicente Andres Estellés s/n, Burjassot, 46100 Valencia, Spain
Marco Verani: Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Via Luca Ghini, 13-56126 Pisa, Italy
Agustin Llopis-Morales: Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Food Sciences, Toxicology and Legal Medicine, School of Pharmacy, Universitat de Valencia. Avenida Vicente Andres Estellés s/n, Burjassot, 46100 Valencia, Spain
Lorenzo Cioni: Scuola Normale Superiore, Piazza dei Cavalieri, 7-56126 Pisa, Italy
María Morales-Suárez-Varela: Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Food Sciences, Toxicology and Legal Medicine, School of Pharmacy, Universitat de Valencia. Avenida Vicente Andres Estellés s/n, Burjassot, 46100 Valencia, Spain

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 3, 1-14

Abstract: The etiology of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is complex and multifactorial. Although the development of ADHD symptoms remains to be elucidated, in recent years, epigenetic processes have emerged as candidate mechanisms. Lead is one of the most dangerous environmental pollutants, and it is suspected to be associated with ADHD. The aim of the present study was to review the epidemiological literature currently available on the relation between lead exposure and the diagnosis of ADHD. The PubMed and EMBASE databases were searched from 1 July 2018 up to 31 July 2018. The authors included observational studies (cohort, case–control and cross-sectional studies) published in English carried out on children within the last 5 years, measuring lead exposure and health outcomes related to ADHD. Seventeen studies met the inclusion criteria: 5 of these studies found no association between lead exposure and ADHD whereas the remaining 12 studies showed positive associations, even though not all of them were homogeneous in terms of exposure periods considered or ADHD diagnosis. To conclude, the evidence from the studies allowed us to establish that there is an association between lead and ADHD and that even low levels of lead raise the risk. However, there is still a lack of longitudinal studies about the relationship between lead exposure and the development of ADHD. Given the potential importance for public health, further research that includes the entire potential risk factors for ADHD in children must be encouraged.

Keywords: Lead; Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder; ADHD; environmental pollutants; observational studies analysis; systematic review (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/3/382/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/3/382/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:3:p:382-:d:201776

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().