Abstract Details

Title Pre- and Early Postnatal Lead Exposure, Late Adulthood Cognitive Function, and Modification by Cognitive Stimulating Activities

Topic Aging, Dementia, and Behavioral Neurology

Presentation(s) P5 - Poster Session 5 (11:45 AM-12:45 PM)

Poster/Presentation
Number 12-012

Objective To assess whether pre and early postnatal lead exposure—as measured in deciduous teeth—is a risk factor for worse late adulthood cognition and whether associations vary by level of early life cognitively stimulating activities (ELCSA).

Background Early-life exposure to lead has been associated with late-life Alzheimer’s-like pathology in animal models and neurodevelopmental impacts in children. Research into associations with late-life cognition in humans have been limited. Further, in animal studies, enriched environments appear to protect against adverse effects of lead exposure, but there has been limited exploration of this in humans.

Design/Methods We recontacted original St. Louis Baby Tooth Survey participants who donated deciduous (baby) teeth between 1958-1972. 715 baby teeth were sectioned and lead concentrations in primary dentin—reflecting in utero through early postnatal months exposure—were assessed using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. We assessed cognition in late adulthood (mean age: 62) via a computerized battery of cognitive tests through TestMyBrain.org. We used adjusted weighted generalized estimating equations to estimate associations between lead exposure and cognition. We examined modification by early-life cognitively stimulating activities assessed using the Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center Lifetime Cognitive Activity scales.

Results Per 1 part per million (ppm) higher second trimester tooth lead concentration, composite cognition was 0.07 standard deviations (sd) (95% CI: -0.15, 0.02) lower and was modified by cognitively stimulating activities (Interaction p=0.001). For those with low ELCSA (bottom 24%), per 1ppm higher second trimester lead adulthood cognitive function was 0.34 (95% CI: -0.52, -0.16) sd lower, while the association among those with high cognitively stimulating activities was null (-0.02; 95% CI: -0.12, 0.07).

Conclusions Early-life lead exposure was associated with late adulthood cognitive function and was modified by cognitively stimulating activities. Our work supports the hypothesis that engaging in cognitively stimulating activities could mitigate against deleterious effects of lead on later adulthood cognitive function.

Authors/Disclosures
Marc Weisskopf, PhD (Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health) PRESENTER	Prof. Weisskopf has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving on a Scientific Advisory or Data Safety Monitoring board for Kaiser Permanente Research Biobank. The institution of Prof. Weisskopf has received research support from ALS Network. The institution of Prof. Weisskopf has received research support from NIH. The institution of Prof. Weisskopf has received research support from Paralyzed Veterans of America. The institution of Prof. Weisskopf has received research support from CDC/ATSDR. The institution of Prof. Weisskopf has received research support from JPB Foundation.
Ruby Hickman, PhD	Dr. Hickman has nothing to disclose.
Joyce Lin (Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health)	No disclosure on file
Kaleigh McAlaine (Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health)	No disclosure on file
Tracy Punshon	Dr. Punshon has nothing to disclose.
Brian Jackson, PhD	Dr. Jackson has nothing to disclose.
Felicitas Bidlack (Forsyth Institute)	No disclosure on file
Laura Germine (Albert Einstein College of Medicine)	No disclosure on file
Scott Bartell (UC Irvine)	No disclosure on file
Joseph Mangano (Radiation and Public Health Project)	No disclosure on file

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