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The Effects of Chronic Low-level Lead Exposure on the Early Structuring of the Central Nervous System

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Lead Exposure and Child Development

Summary

Chronic low-level lead exposure has been demonstrated to inhibit neural cell acquisition and impair early postnatal structuring of the central nervous system. Lead was demonstrated to have an anti-mitotic action both in vitro and in vivo, although the latter was confined to the cerebellum at blood lead threshold values of 30–40 µg/dl. Low-level lead exposure more potently affected in vivo cell positioning and fibre outgrowth, as judged by the impaired developmental desialylation of the D2-CAM/N-CAM protein, and these effects were seen at blood lead threshold values of 20–30 µg/dl. This inhibition of normal D2-CAM/N-CAM desialylation is attributed to improper guidance of neuronal cells and their fibres, as lead is demonstrated to specifically induce precocious differentiation of the glial cells.

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Authors
  1. C. M. Regan
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  2. G. R. Cookman
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  3. G. J. Keane
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  4. W. King
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  5. S. E. Hemmens
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Child Psychiatry, Institute of Child Health Hospital for Sick Children, Great Ormond Street, London, UK

    M. A. Smith

  2. Environmental Criteria and Assessment Office Office of Health and Environment Assessment US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, 27711, NC, USA

    L. D. Grant (Director) (Director)

  3. Environment Research Programme, Commission of the European Communities, Rue de la Loi 200, B-1049, Brussels, Belgium

    A. I. Sors (Directorate-General for Science, Research and Development) (Directorate-General for Science, Research and Development)

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© 1989 ECSC-EEC-EAEC, Brussels — Luxembourg; EPA, USA

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Regan, C.M., Cookman, G.R., Keane, G.J., King, W., Hemmens, S.E. (1989). The Effects of Chronic Low-level Lead Exposure on the Early Structuring of the Central Nervous System. In: Smith, M.A., Grant, L.D., Sors, A.I. (eds) Lead Exposure and Child Development. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-0847-5_29

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-0847-5_29

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-6868-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-009-0847-5

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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