Effects of chronic lead exposure on 1H MRS of hippocampus and frontal lobes in children.

ABSTRACT

The authors performed IQ testing and magnetic resonance spectroscopy on six lead-exposed and six control children. Levels of N-acetyl aspartate (neuronal density and mitochondrial metabolism), creatine + phosphocreatine (phosphate metabolism), and choline (membrane turnover) were decreased in four brain regions (left and right frontal, left and right hippocampus) in lead-exposed children vs controls. The reductions were right frontal > left frontal > hippocampus but were the same bilaterally in the hippocampus.