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Lead Exposure

LEAD POISONING AFFECTS THE NERVOUS SYSTEM, SO IT CAN ALSO IMPAIR MOTOR COORDINATION.  CAN THIS DAMAGE BE REVERSED?  WE’RE FLEXING MUSCLES OF HOPE ON TODAY’S ENVIRONMINUTE.

BY ADMINISTERING PHYSICAL TESTS, AMIT BHATTACHARYA OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI DISCOVERED THAT A DRUG TREATMENT USED TO REMOVE LEAD FROM THE BLOOD OF CHILDREN ALSO HELPED IMPROVE THEIR DAMAGED MOTOR SKILLS.

BHATTACHARYA: WE HAVE ACTUALLY SHOWN SOME IMPROVEMENT IN CHILDRENS’ ABILITY TO PERFORM CERTAIN MOVEMENT TASKS SUCH AS OBSTACLE CROSSING, WALKING, AND SIMPLY STANDING… STANDING UPRIGHT IS A VERY COMPLEX PHYSIOLOGICAL FUNCTION.

BUT WHILE REMOVING LEAD FROM THE BLOOD DID RESTORE SOME MOTOR COORDINATION IN THE CHILDREN, IT DID NOT HELP ALL MOTOR FUNCTIONS.  SO BHATTACHARYA SAYS LEAD PREVENTION AND EARLY DETECTION ARE STILL OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE.

THE ENVIRONMINUTE IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE HEINZ FAMILY PHILANTHROPIES AND THE HEINZ ENDOWMENTS.  LEARN MORE BY VISITING ENVIRONMINUTE-DOT-COM.        

Test lead levels in your own home. Find out how at http://www.leadinspector.com/

For more on the finding, read the article online at the NIH site.

To read more about this and other environmental health issues, go to: www.environmentalhealthnews.org, www.ourstolenfuture.org, or www.healthandenvironment.org