US EPA

1510243 

Journal Article 

Prenatal methylmercury, postnatal lead exposure, and evidence of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder among Inuit children in Arctic Québec 

Boucher, O; Jacobson, SW; Plusquellec, P; Dewailly, É; Ayotte, P; Forget-Dubois, N; Jacobson, JL; Muckle, G 

2012 

Yes 

Environmental Health Perspectives
ISSN: 0091-6765
EISSN: 1552-9924 

120 

10 

1456-1461 

English 

23008274 

10.1289/ehp.1204976 

WOS:000309692600030 

https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84867171107&doi=10.1289%2fehp.1204976&partnerID=40&md5=1a729cd05fe43c188b1f1ca6d4a800c0
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has summary 2189847 [Behavioral issues in Inuit children exposed to mercury, PCBs and lead]
has comment/response 6574118 [Email to Dr. Krista Christensen regarding a request for study details on Boucher et al., 2012 and Boucher et al., 2014]

BACKGROUND: Prenatal exposure to methylmercury (MeHg) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) has been associated with impaired performance on attention tasks in previous studies, but the extent to which these cognitive deficits translate into behavioral problems in the classroom and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) remains unknown. By contrast, lead (Pb) exposure in childhood has been associated with ADHD and disruptive behaviors in several studies.

OBJECTIVES: In this study we examined the relation of developmental exposure to MeHg, PCBs, and Pb to behavioral problems at school age in Inuit children exposed through their traditional diet.

METHODS: In a prospective longitudinal study conducted in the Canadian Arctic, exposure to contaminants was measured at birth and at school age. An assessment of child behavior (n = 279; mean age = 11.3 years) was obtained from the child's classroom teacher on the Teacher Report Form (TRF) from the Child Behavior Checklist, and the Disruptive Behavior Disorders Rating Scale (DBD).

RESULTS: Cord blood mercury concentrations were associated with higher TRF symptom scores for attention problems and DBD scores consistent with ADHD. Current blood Pb concentrations were associated with higher TRF symptom scores for externalizing problems and with symptoms of ADHD (hyperactive-impulsive type) based on the DBD.

CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this study is the first to identify an association between prenatal MeHg and ADHD symptomatology in childhood and the first to replicate previously reported associations between low-level childhood Pb exposure and ADHD in a population exposed to Pb primarily from dietary sources. 

ADHD; attention; children; exposure; externalizing behavior; lead; mercury; methylmercury; polychlorinated biphenyls