Neurobehavioral effects of low-level lead exposure in human neonates

In a clinically healthy sample of 103 African American neonates maternal bl ood lead levels <10 mu g/dL were related to discrete aspects of neonatal be havior but not to a priori cluster scores of the Brazelton Neonatal Behavio r Assessment Scale. In statistical tests modest detrimental effects on moto r control and attention were found for neonatal subjects whose mothers had slightly higher blood lead levels in the sixth and seventh prenatal months. Correlation and dose-effect trends reveal slightly poorer attention and mo tor control performance among neonatal offspring of mothers with higher mat ernal blood lead levels. These results are in agreement with those of previ ous studies, which have consistently reported modest statistical relationsh ips between low-level prenatal lead exposure and neonatal behavior.