Lead and Memory: New Warning of the Impact of Lead on Children's Intelligence

A recent scientific study conducted in the United States has shown that exposure to high levels of lead negatively affects children's memory, leading to increased forgetfulness and cognitive impairment.

The study was conducted by researcher Catherine Stevenson from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, where the research team measured lead levels in the blood of fetuses, as well as in the blood of children aged 4 to 6 years.

They then studied the impact of these levels on children's ability to remember at ages 6 to 8 years, through the use of the Delayed Matching to Sample (DMTS) test, which is used to measure working memory and cognitive skills.

This test presents a 'sample' to the child, then asks them to choose the matching item from a set of options after a delay period, and the researchers found that higher lead levels in the blood were associated with increased forgetfulness problems.

The researchers, in statements reported by the specialized scientific research site 'Health Day', warned of the importance of reducing exposure to lead in the environment, pointing out that sources of exposure may include some foods, house paint, and pipes.

They emphasized that even exposure to low levels of lead can have serious effects on cognitive functions and brain development in children.

The study highlighted that these results are of utmost importance for public health, calling for urgent measures to reduce children's exposure to this environmental toxin in order to protect their mental and cognitive growth.