PSYCHOLOGICAL PERFORMANCE OF SUBJECTS WITH LOW EXPOSURE TO LEAD

  • 1 January 1978
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 20  (10) , 683-689
Abstract
In a study of the effects of low Pb exposure on psychological performance, 49 exposed workers and 24 controls were given a psychological test battery. All the Pb workers were under regular monitoring during their entire exposure time, and only workers whose maximal blood Pb concentration had never exceeded 70 .mu.g/100 ml were included. The mean blood Pb level of the exposed group was 32 .+-. 11 .mu.g/100 ml. Comparisons were made both between exposed and nonexposed workers and within the exposed group. In the latter case, the maximal, average and actual blood Pb concentrations were used as measures of uptake. The most important finding was a significant relationship between impaired psychological performance and Pb uptake within the exposed group. The performances that were most affected by Pb depended on visual intelligence and visual-motor functions. Age and neuroticism did not explain these relationships. The impairment of psychological performance correlated better with the average than with the maximal or actual blood Pb concentration. Considering that no single blood Pb concentration ever exceeded 70 .mu.g/100 ml, it is indicated that the threshold for impaired performance lies below that level.

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