title: Low-level groundwater arsenic exposure impacts cognition: a project FRONTIER study.
abstract: Arsenic is a ubiquitous environmental toxin with known neurological consequences. Few studies, however, have investigated groundwater arsenic concentrations and cognition among adults and elders. In the study described in this article, the authors examined the potential link between cognitive functioning and low concentrations of arsenic in drinking water. Arsenic concentrations were estimated by the Geographic Information System approach (GIS-arsenic) for 299 rural-dwelling adults and elders. Cognition was assessed with Folstein Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Those in the relatively high GIS-arsenic exposure (> 10.0 microg/L) group had significantly lower MMSE scores than those in the low GIS-arsenic exposure (< or = 10.0 microg/L) group (p < .03). The number of years of education was significantly lower in those in the high GIS-arsenic group(s) than in those in the low GIS-arsenic group (p < .05). These results suggest that poorer cognitive functioning and lower education levels were associated with higher (though still low-level) GIS-arsenic levels in this rural adult cohort.
authors.affiliation: F. Marie Hall Institute for Rural and Community Health, Texas Tech University Health Science Center, Lubbock, TX 79430-6232, USA.
authors.forename: Gordon
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.forename: Kristopher A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Hargrave
authors.forename: Valerie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Hobson
authors.forename: Julian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Spallholz
authors.forename: Mallory
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boylan
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lefforge
authors.forename: Sid E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: O'Bryant
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001151:Arsenic / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D055812:Community-Based Participatory Research; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D040362:Geographic Information Systems; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012424:Rural Population; D013781:Texas / Q000453:epidemiology; D014881:Water Supply
chemical_list: D001151:Arsenic