The Relationship between Lead and Depressive Illness

In the 21st century most of us perhaps consider lead poisoning to be an issue of the past; on par with other contact illnesses such as asbestosis.
Lead poisoning was indeed a fairly significant threat during the 20th century due to the significant amounts of lead used in certain kinds of paints to help create bright colors. Since deteriorating lead paint created lead dust, poisoning was a common problem with infants for many years due to the oral play of young children who habitually place objects in their mouths. A relatively small amount of lead, such as that found in a paint chip that has peeled away from the wall, when consumed can be deadly. Lead interferes with a variety of processes within the body and is toxic to many of our organs and tissues, such as the heart, kidneys, intestines, bones, and our nervous system. Symptoms can manifest with abdominal pain, anemia, and in severe cases seizures and coma, or even death.
Lead paint has been banned for many years and is generally considered to be a concern only if one lives in or has purchased an older home. However, lead does not only exist in man-made products. It is a natural element and many of us experience exposure without realizing same. Maryse F. Bouchard, PhD of the Universite de Montreal and the Harvard School of Public Health, in a recent study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry concluded that lead exposure may be a major causal factor for individuals suffering from depression.
According to the research, individuals suffering from relatively low levels of lead exposure had a significantly high risk of being diagnosed with depressive disorders, as well as experiencing a higher risk of developing panic disorders. According to Bouchard, “what is most surprising is the finding that lead can be associated with adverse mental health status at such low levels of exposure.”
Many of the studies have been conducted on employees in places such as foundries and battery factories, where workers are exposed to the elements on a regular basis, and present with heightened levels of depression, anxiety, and hostility, and according to Ellen Silbergeld, professor of environmental health sciences at Johns Hopkins University, as low an exposure as 4 ug/dL (micrograms per deciliter) may double your risk of a fatal heart attack or stroke, as well as cause significant memory loss. The workers studied presented with levels of 40 ug/dL - clearly an alarming number.
According to Dr. Bouchard, “one of the shocking things is that in my study group, the mean blood lead level was only 1.6 ug/dL, which is representative of the exposure level in the general population. These findings suggest that lead neurotoxicity may contribute to adverse mental health outcomes, even at levels generally considered to pose low, or no risk. These findings…should underscore the need for considering ways to further reduce environmental lead exposures.”
Steps have already been taken in the appropriate direction, such as the elimination of lead from gasoline, and the banning of lead paint being used in construction of homes. Hopefully lead poisoning will soon truly become a condition of the past.