Journal List > Korean J Occup Environ Med > v.23(2) > 1125536

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Kim, Jeon, Hong, Lee, Ha, Kwon, and Sakong: Association Between Blood Lead Concentration and Computerized Neurobehavioral Performance in Korean Elementary School Students
Original Article

Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2011; 23(2): 183-191.

Published online: 30 June 2011

DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.2011.23.2.183

Association Between Blood Lead Concentration and Computerized Neurobehavioral Performance in Korean Elementary School Students

Yeon-Cheol Kim, Man-Joong Jeon, Yun-Chul Hong1, Chul-Gab Lee2, Mi-Na Ha3, Ho-Jang Kwon3, Joon Sakong

Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Yeungnam University Hospital, Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, College of Medicine, Yeungnam University, Korea.

1Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Korea.

2Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Korea.

3Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Dankook University, Korea.

Corresponding author (jsakong@med.yu.ac.kr)

Received 7 April 2011       Revised 15 June 2011       Accepted 15 June 2011

Copyright © 2011 The Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

Abstract

Objectives

This study was conducted to evaluate association between computerized neurobehavioral performance and blood lead concentration in Korean elementary school students.

Methods

The subjects were 1,077 elementary school students of Seoul, Busan, Daegu and Gwangju. Blood lead concentration was measured and computerized neurobehavioral performance tests were performed.

Results

Blood lead concentration of the subjects was in the range of 0.20 and 7.39 µg/dl. The geometric mean of the subjects' blood lead concentration was 1.41 µg/dl. As blood lead concentration increased, reaction time to the symbol digit tended to increase significantly and linearly. As a result of LOWESS(locally weighted scatterplot smoothing), increasing reaction time to the symbol digit was observed.

Conclusions

As blood lead concentration under the CDC (center for disease control and prevention) reference value increased, reaction time to the symbol digit tended to increase. But, as the number of subjects over 3 µg/dl is small, it is difficult to make a definite conclusion. If confounding variables are controlled properly in a follow-up study, we can obtain a more definite conclusion.

Keywords: Computerized neurobehavioral performance, Blood lead concentration, Elementary school students

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