title: Lead exposure and attention regulation in children living in poverty.
abstract: This study examined the relationship between lead exposure and attention regulation in children from low-income families. Children with lead exposure were expected to have lower attention regulation abilities than children who were not exposed. The 57 participants (39% male, 61% female) were children aged 4 and 5 years (mean age 4y 7mo [SD 5mo]); 24 children were lead-exposed (10-29microg/dl) and 33 were non-exposed comparisons (1-6microg/dl). Both groups qualified to be enrolled in programs for low-income families. A puzzle-matching task was completed in parent-child and child-alone conditions. Attention allocation and puzzle-matching performance were assessed in the two conditions. Children who were lead-exposed demonstrated less self-regulated attention than comparisons and had poorer puzzle performance in the child-alone condition. Attention patterns did not differ in the parent-child condition. This study extends previous knowledge concerning effects of lead exposure on preschool children from disadvantaged environments and suggests that lead exposure affects specific attention regulation abilities.
authors.affiliation: University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA. dwdavis@louisville.edu
authors.forename: Deborah Winders
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Florence
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Burns
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: Dena
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dossett
mesh_terms: D001288:Attention; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007361:Intelligence Tests; D007854:Lead / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
chemical_list: D007854:Lead