Lead linked to ADHD

As Springfield City Council and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts consider the fate of a proposed incinerator , they (and the rest of us) might want to pay attention to two studies released this year and summarized in Science Daily.

The plant, if built, will emit about 600 pounds of lead a year into the atmosphere.

"The first study compared children formally diagnosed with ADHD to controls, and found that the children with the disorder had slightly higher levels of lead in their blood. This study showed a link only between blood lead and hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms, not inattention. But a second study showed a robust link between blood lead and both parent and teacher ratings of ADHD symptoms, including both hyperactivity and attention problems. In both studies, the connection was independent of IQ, family income, race, or maternal smoking during pregnancy."  Science Daily.

Photo from Got Sarah's photostream at Flickr.