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Definition
Direct or indirect contact with organic or inorganic lead resulting in a harmful alteration of body structure and/or function, including illness or death.
Current Knowledge
Lead is a virtually omnipresent heavy metal that has been reported to negatively affect all organ systems. The neurological effects of lead are particularly pernicious, with architectural changes to or death of neurons in a variety of cerebral areas reported (e.g., hippocampal areas and the amygdala may be targets of organic lead; the cerebellum and hippocampus may be favored by inorganic lead). The nervous system can be affected by lead directly (through alterations in CNS development or pharmacological activity) or indirectly (by impacting other bodily organs or functions, such as the kidneys, that can then affect brain functioning). Lead exposure can be acute or chronic. Acute lead poisoning is much less common in the United States, as use of lead in plumbing, fuels,...
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References and Readings
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. (2007). Toxicological profile for lead (update). Atlanta: United States Department of Health and Human Services, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.
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Hufford, B.J. (2016). Lead Exposure. In: Kreutzer, J., DeLuca, J., Caplan, B. (eds) Encyclopedia of Clinical Neuropsychology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-56782-2_251-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-56782-2_251-3
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Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
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