The study was initiated to examine the utility of neuropsychologic testing in identifying deficits in children with asymptomatic elevations in blood lead levels. From the files of the Boston Lead Screening Project the authors selected black male children between the ages of six and eight years of age, considered symptomatic for lead toxicity who had blood lead tests recorded between the ages of 1-1/2 and 5 years of age. High lead subjects were children with one or more blood lead levels greater than 50 micrograms. Low lead subjects were children with no blood lead level greater than 30 micrograms. Subjects were tested by a battery of neuropsychologic tests measuring intelligence, verbal performance, visual motor performance, gross and fine motor function, and attention span. Other covariates measured were socioeconomic status, birthweight, and medical history. High lead children were consistently slower at each block of trials on the Reaction Time under Varying Conditions of Delay (a measure of attention), and performed significantly less well on Subtest I of the Frostig Battery. High lead subjects tended to perform less well on the Maze Coordination Test, and on the Tactile Form Recognition Test with the non-dominant hand.

"EPA-600/1-77-037." EPA contract no. 68-02-1239; EPA project officer: Warren Galke. Includes bibliographical references (pages 14-15).