Lead and hyperactivity: Lead levels among hyperactive children

Previous work has demonstrated an association between hyperactivity and increased body lead burdens in school-age children. In the present study it is shown that within a group of hyperactive children those for whom an organic etiology is present have lead burdens lower than in those for whom no apparent cause could be found. These data lead us to reject the notion that hyperactivity per se is responsible for the acquisition of elevated lead levels, and further strengthen the suspicion that for some children lower lead level absorption may be implicated in the development of the hyperkinetic disorder.This work was supported in part by the Office of Child Development, Grant #OCD-CB482. We thank Dr. Bernard Davidow for blood and urine determinations done by the Bureau of Laboratories, Lead Poison Division, Public Health Service, New York City. We also wish to thank Merck, Sharpe and Dohme for supplying the penicillamine for this study.