Edouard Bastarache Inc. on fri 18 feb 05
Lead in Environment Causing Violent Crime - Study
Fri Feb 18, 2005 2:09 PM ET=20
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Lead left in paint, water, soil and elsewhere may =
not only be affecting children's intelligence but may cause a =
significant proportion of violent crime, a U.S. researcher argued =
Friday.
He said the U.S. government needs to do more to lower lead levels in the =
environment and parents need to think more about where their children =
may be getting exposed to lead.
"When environmental lead finds its way into the developing brain, it =
disturbs neural mechanisms responsible for regulation of impulse. That =
can lead to antisocial and criminal behavior," said Dr. Herbert =
Needleman, a professor of psychiatry and pediatrics at the University of =
Pittsburgh School of Medicine.
Needleman's team, using a technique called X-ray fluorescence, found =
very low levels of lead in the bones of children.
Needleman cited several studies that associate crime with high levels of =
lead either in the bodies of those accused or in the environments they =
came from, including one that showed the average bone lead levels of 190 =
juvenile delinquents were higher than those of adolescents not charged =
with crimes.
His study suggested that between 18 percent and 38 percent of delinquent =
crimes in the Pittsburgh area could be attributed to lead toxicity in =
the adolescents.
Another one tested 300 delinquents and found those with higher lead =
levels reported more aggressive feelings or behavior disorders.
"The brain, particularly the frontal lobes, are important in the =
regulation of behavior," Needleman told a meeting of the American =
Association for the Advancement of Science.
"Exposure to lead, at doses below those which bring children to medical =
attention, is associated with increased aggression, disturbed attention =
and delinquency. A meaningful strategy to reduce crime is to eliminate =
lead from the environment of children."
Taking lead out of most gasoline has contributed to a sharp reduction in =
the level of lead in the blood of Americans over the past 30 years.
But lead is still found in paint, some types of fuel for older vehicles, =
older water pipes and in the soil.=20
"Ils sont fous ces quebecois"
"They are insane these quebekers"
"Est=E1n locos estos quebequeses"
Edouard Bastarache
Irreductible Quebecois
Indomitable Quebeker
Sorel-Tracy
Quebec
edouardb@sorel-tracy.qc.ca
www.sorel-tracy.qc.ca/~edouardb/Welcome.html
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/smart2000/index.htm
http://www.digitalfire.com/education/toxicity/
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