Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy in Adults with Childhood Lead Exposure

BACKGROUND: Childhood lead exposure adversely affects neurodevelopment. However, few studies have examined changes in human brain metabolism that may underlie known adverse cognitive and behavioral outcomes. OBJECTIVE: We examined the association between mean childhood blood lead levels and in vivo brain metabolite concentrations as adults, determined by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) in a birth cohort with documented low-to-moderate lead exposure. METHODS: Adult participants from the Cincinnati Lead Study [n = 159; mean age (± SD), 20.8 ± 0.9 years] completed a quantitative, short-echo proton MRS protocol evaluating seven regions to determine brain concentrations of N-acetyl aspartate (NAA), creatine and phosphocreatine (Cr), cholines (Cho), myo-inositol, and a composite of glutamate and glutamine (GLX). Correlation and multiple linear regression analyses were conducted. RESULTS: Mean childhood blood lead levels were associated with regionally specific brain metabolite concentrations adjusted for age at imaging and Full-Scale intelligence quotient. Adjusted analyses estimated for a unit (micrograms per deciliter) increase in mean childhood blood lead concentrations, a decrease of NAA and Cr concentration levels in the basal ganglia, a decrease of NAA and a decrease of Cho concentration levels in the cerebellar hemisphere, a decrease of GLX concentration levels in vermis, a decrease of Cho and a decrease of GLX concentration levels in parietal white matter, and a decrease of Cho concentration levels in frontal white matter. CONCLUSIONS: Gray-matter NAA reductions associated with increasing childhood blood lead levels suggest that sustained childhood lead exposure produces an irreversible pattern of neuronal dysfunction, whereas associated white-matter choline declines indicate a permanent alteration to myelin architecture.