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Shi Y, Yang Y, Li W, Zhao Z, Yan L, Wang W, Aschner M, Zhang J, Zheng G, Shen X. High blood lead level correlates with selective hippocampal subfield atrophy and neuropsychological impairments. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2023; 257:114945. [PMID: 37105093 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.114945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lead contamination is a major public health concern. Previous studies have demonstrated that lead exposure could affect the hippocampus, which is a complex and heterogeneous structure composed of 12 subregions. Here, we explored volumetric and functional changes in hippocampal subfields and neuropsychological alterations after lead exposure. METHODS We performed a cross-sectional study at a smelting company between September 2020 and December 2021. Blood lead level was recorded, and neuropsychological functions were assessed by Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), and Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS). The hippocampus was segmented into 12 subfields in each hemisphere in magnetic resonance images (MRIs). Then, the effect of altered hippocampal subfield volumes on brain functions were studied by seed-based functional connectivity (FC) analysis. Finally, the relationships between the lead level with hippocampal subfield volumes and neuropsychological functions were investigated. Baseline characteristics, hippocampal subfield volumes, and FC analysis were compared between lead-exposed (≥ 300 μg/L) and the control group (≤ 100 μg/L). RESULTS In 76 participants, lead level positively correlated with SDS(r = 0.422) and negatively correlated with MoCA(r = -0.414), MMSE(r = -0.251), Concentration(r = -0.331), Recall(r = -0.319), Orientation(r = -0.298) and Executive Function/Visuospatial abilities(r = -0.231). Lead group (26 participants) had lower MoCA and MMSE and higher SDS than control group (23 participants). A significantly decreased volume in the left CA4 and GC-ML-DG subfields was found in the lead group compared with the control group. The left GC-ML-DG of the lead group showed a decreased FC with the bilateral postcentral gyrus. The left CA4(r = -0.409) and left GC-ML-DG (r = -0.383) volumes negatively correlated with lead level. The FC between left GC-ML-DG and left postcentral gyrus positively correlated with MoCA(r = 0.318), MMSE(r = 0.379) and Recall(r = 0.311). The FC between left GC-ML-DG and right postcentral gyrus positively correlated with MoCA(r = 0.326), Executive Function/Visuospatial abilities(r = 0.307) and Concentration(r = 0.297). CONCLUSION High blood lead level was associated with neuropsychological alterations, hippocampal structural and functional changes. The left GC-ML-DG and CA4 atrophy might serve as predictive imaging markers for neurological damage associated with high lead exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Shi
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health and the Ministry of Education Key Lab of Hazard Assessment and Control in Special Operational Environment, School of Public Health, Fourth Military Medical University, No. 169 of West Changle Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710032, China
| | - Yang Yang
- Department of Radiology, Tangdu Hospital, the Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710038, China
| | - Wenhao Li
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health and the Ministry of Education Key Lab of Hazard Assessment and Control in Special Operational Environment, School of Public Health, Fourth Military Medical University, No. 169 of West Changle Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710032, China
| | - Zaihua Zhao
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health and the Ministry of Education Key Lab of Hazard Assessment and Control in Special Operational Environment, School of Public Health, Fourth Military Medical University, No. 169 of West Changle Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710032, China
| | - Linfeng Yan
- Department of Radiology, Tangdu Hospital, the Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710038, China
| | - Wen Wang
- Department of Radiology, Tangdu Hospital, the Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710038, China
| | - Michael Aschner
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, United States
| | - Jianbin Zhang
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health and the Ministry of Education Key Lab of Hazard Assessment and Control in Special Operational Environment, School of Public Health, Fourth Military Medical University, No. 169 of West Changle Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710032, China
| | - Gang Zheng
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health and the Ministry of Education Key Lab of Hazard Assessment and Control in Special Operational Environment, School of Public Health, Fourth Military Medical University, No. 169 of West Changle Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710032, China
| | - Xuefeng Shen
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health and the Ministry of Education Key Lab of Hazard Assessment and Control in Special Operational Environment, School of Public Health, Fourth Military Medical University, No. 169 of West Changle Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710032, China.
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Oxidative stress in the neurodegenerative brain following lifetime exposure to lead in rats: Changes in lifespan profiles. Toxicology 2019; 411:101-109. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2018.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2018] [Revised: 10/26/2018] [Accepted: 11/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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Ghasemi S, Hosseini M, Feizpour A, Alipour F, Sadeghi A, Vafaee F, Mohammadpour T, Soukhtanloo M, Ebrahimzadeh Bideskan A, Beheshti F. Beneficial effects of garlic on learning and memory deficits and brain tissue damages induced by lead exposure during juvenile rat growth is comparable to the effect of ascorbic acid. Drug Chem Toxicol 2016; 40:206-214. [DOI: 10.1080/01480545.2016.1197238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Simagol Ghasemi
- Neurocognitive Research Center, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Iran,
| | - Mahmoud Hosseini
- Neurocognitive Research Center, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Iran,
| | - Azadeh Feizpour
- Neurogenic Inflammation Research Center and Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Iran,
| | - Fatemeh Alipour
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran,
| | - Akram Sadeghi
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran,
| | - Farzaneh Vafaee
- Neurocognitive Research Center, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Iran,
| | - Toktam Mohammadpour
- Pharmacological Research Center of Medicinal Plants, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Iran, and
| | - Mohammad Soukhtanloo
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Iran
| | | | - Farimah Beheshti
- Neurocognitive Research Center, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Iran,
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Lindquist DM, Beckwith T, Cecil KM, Sánchez-Martín FJ, Landero-Figueroa J, Puga A. Prenatal and early postnatal lead exposure in mice: neuroimaging findings. Quant Imaging Med Surg 2015; 5:511-8. [PMID: 26435914 DOI: 10.3978/j.issn.2223-4292.2015.07.01] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Childhood lead exposure has been linked to adult gray matter loss accompanied by changes in myelination and neurochemistry noninvasively revealed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) methods. However, the extent, duration and timing of lead exposure required to produce such imaging changes in humans are difficult to ascertain. METHODS To determine if such changes are related to early exposure to low levels of lead, we treated mouse dams with 0, 3, or 30 ppm of lead acetate in drinking water for 2 months prior to mating through gestation until weaning of the offspring at post-natal day 21. Two male and two female pups from each litter were imaged at post-natal day 60. Volumetric, diffusion tensor imaging and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) measurements were obtained using a seven Tesla Bruker animal MRI scanner. RESULTS Postnatal blood lead levels were identical between groups at the time of imaging. No effects of lead exposure were detected in the volumetric or MRS data. Mean diffusivity in the hippocampus showed significant effects of lead exposure and gender. CONCLUSIONS These data suggest that low-level, gestational lead exposure in a mouse model produces minimal changes observed by MRI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana M Lindquist
- 1 Imaging Research Center, Department of Radiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA ; 2 Department of Environmental Health and Center for Environmental Genetics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA ; 3 Metallomics Center of the Americas, Department of Chemistry, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Travis Beckwith
- 1 Imaging Research Center, Department of Radiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA ; 2 Department of Environmental Health and Center for Environmental Genetics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA ; 3 Metallomics Center of the Americas, Department of Chemistry, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Kim M Cecil
- 1 Imaging Research Center, Department of Radiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA ; 2 Department of Environmental Health and Center for Environmental Genetics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA ; 3 Metallomics Center of the Americas, Department of Chemistry, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Francisco Javier Sánchez-Martín
- 1 Imaging Research Center, Department of Radiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA ; 2 Department of Environmental Health and Center for Environmental Genetics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA ; 3 Metallomics Center of the Americas, Department of Chemistry, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Julio Landero-Figueroa
- 1 Imaging Research Center, Department of Radiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA ; 2 Department of Environmental Health and Center for Environmental Genetics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA ; 3 Metallomics Center of the Americas, Department of Chemistry, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Alvaro Puga
- 1 Imaging Research Center, Department of Radiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA ; 2 Department of Environmental Health and Center for Environmental Genetics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA ; 3 Metallomics Center of the Americas, Department of Chemistry, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
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Barkur RR, Bairy LK. Histological study on hippocampus, amygdala and cerebellum following low lead exposure during prenatal and postnatal brain development in rats. Toxicol Ind Health 2014; 32:1052-63. [PMID: 25147304 DOI: 10.1177/0748233714545624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Neuropsychological studies in children who are exposed to lead during their early brain development have shown to develop behavioural and cognitive deficit. The aim of the present study was to assess the cellular damage in hippocampus, amygdala and cerebellum of rat pups exposed to lead during different periods of early brain development. Five groups of rat pups were investigated. (a) Control group (n = 8) (mothers of these rats were given normal drinking water throughout gestation and lactation), (b) pregestation lead-exposed group (n = 8) (mothers of these rats were exposed to 0.2% lead acetate in the drinking water for one month before conception), (c) gestation lead-exposed group (n = 8) (exposed to 0.2% lead acetate in the drinking water through the mother throughout gestation [gestation day 01 to day 21]), (d) lactation lead-exposed group (n = 8) (exposed to 0.2% lead acetate in the drinking water through the mother throughout lactation [postnatal day 01 to day 21]) and (e) gestation and lactation lead-exposed group (n = 8) (exposed to 0.2% lead acetate throughout gestation and lactation). On postnatal day 30, rat pups of all the groups were killed. Numbers of surviving neurons in the hippocampus, amygdala and cerebellum regions were counted using cresyl violet staining technique. Histological data indicate that lead exposure caused significant damage to neurons of hippocampus, amygdala and cerebellum regions in all lead-exposed groups except lactation lead-exposed group. The extent of damage to neurons of hippocampus, amygdala and cerebellum regions in lactation lead-exposed group was comparable to gestation and lactation groups even though the duration of lead exposure was much less in lactation lead-exposed group. To conclude, the postnatal period of brain development seems to be more vulnerable to lead neurotoxicity compared to prenatal period of brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajashekar Rao Barkur
- Department of Biochemistry, Melaka Manipal Medical College, Manipal University, Manipal, India
| | - Laxminarayana K Bairy
- Department of Pharmacology, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, Manipal, India
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Long Z, Jiang YM, Li XR, Fadel W, Xu J, Yeh CL, Long LL, Luo HL, Harezlak J, Murdoch JB, Zheng W, Dydak U. Vulnerability of welders to manganese exposure--a neuroimaging study. Neurotoxicology 2014; 45:285-92. [PMID: 24680838 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2014.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2014] [Revised: 03/01/2014] [Accepted: 03/19/2014] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Increased manganese (Mn) exposure is known to cause cognitive, psychiatric and motor deficits. Mn exposure occurs in different occupational settings, where the airborne Mn level and the size of respirable particulates may vary considerably. Recently the importance of the role of the cerebral cortex in Mn toxicity has been highlighted, especially in Mn-induced neuropsychological effects. In this study we used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to evaluate brain Mn accumulation using T1 signal intensity indices and to examine changes in brain iron content using T2* contrast, as well as magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) to measure exposure-induced metabolite changes non-invasively in cortical and deep brain regions in Mn-exposed welders, Mn-exposed smelter workers and control factory workers with no measurable exposure to Mn. MRS data as well as T1 signal intensity indices and T2* values were acquired from the frontal cortex, posterior cingulate cortex, hippocampus, and thalamus. Smelters were exposed to higher air Mn levels and had a longer duration of exposure, which was reflected in higher Mn levels in erythrocytes and urine than in welders. Nonetheless, welders had more significant metabolic differences compared to controls than did the smelter workers, especially in the frontal cortex. T1 hyperintensities in the globus pallidus were observed in both Mn-exposed groups, but only welders showed significantly higher thalamic and hippocampal T1 hyperintensities, as well as significantly reduced T2* values in the frontal cortex. Our results indicate that (1) the cerebral cortex, in particular the frontal cortex, is clearly involved in Mn neurotoxic effects and (2) in spite of the lower air Mn levels and shorter duration of exposure, welders exhibit more extensive neuroimaging changes compared to controls than smelters, including measurable deposition of Mn in more brain areas. These results indicate that the type of exposure (particulate sizes, dust versus fume) and route of exposure play an important role in the extent of Mn-induced toxic effects on the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zaiyang Long
- School of Health Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA; Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Yue-Ming Jiang
- Department of Health Toxicology, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.
| | - Xiang-Rong Li
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - William Fadel
- Department of Biostatistics, Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Jun Xu
- School of Health Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA; Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Chien-Lin Yeh
- School of Health Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA; Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Li-Ling Long
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Hai-Lan Luo
- Department of Health Toxicology, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Jaroslaw Harezlak
- Department of Biostatistics, Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Department of Biostatistics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - James B Murdoch
- Toshiba Medical Research Institute USA, Mayfield Village, OH, USA
| | - Wei Zheng
- School of Health Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Ulrike Dydak
- School of Health Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA; Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
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Luo W, Ruan D, Yan C, Yin S, Chen J. Effects of chronic lead exposure on functions of nervous system in Chinese children and developmental rats. Neurotoxicology 2012; 33:862-71. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2012.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2011] [Revised: 03/09/2012] [Accepted: 03/20/2012] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
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Han M, Liu Y, Tan Q, Zhang B, Wang W, Liu J, Zhang XJ, Wang YY, Zhang JM. Therapeutic efficacy of stemazole in a beta-amyloid injection rat model of Alzheimer's disease. Eur J Pharmacol 2011; 657:104-10. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2011.01.065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2010] [Revised: 01/18/2011] [Accepted: 01/27/2011] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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Jiang YM, Long LL, Zhu XY, Zheng H, Fu X, Ou SY, Wei DL, Zhou HL, Zheng W. Evidence for altered hippocampal volume and brain metabolites in workers occupationally exposed to lead: a study by magnetic resonance imaging and (1)H magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Toxicol Lett 2008; 181:118-25. [PMID: 18692119 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2008.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2008] [Revised: 07/05/2008] [Accepted: 07/05/2008] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Environmental and occupational exposure to lead (Pb) remains to be a major public health issue. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to use non-invasive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H MRS) techniques to investigate whether chronic exposure to Pb in an occupational setting altered brain structure and function of Pb-exposed workers. The Pb-exposed group consisted of 15 workers recruited from either a Pb-smelting factory or a Pb-battery manufacturer. The control group had 19 healthy volunteers who had no history of Pb exposure in working environment or at home. The average airborne Pb concentrations in fume and dust were 0.43 and 0.44 mg/m(3), respectively, in the smeltery, and 0.10 and 1.06 mg/m(3), respectively, in the Pb battery workshop. The average blood Pb concentrations (BPb) in Pb-exposed and control workers were 63.5 and 8.7 microg/dL, respectively. The MRI examination showed that brain hippocampal volume among Pb-exposed workers was significantly diminished in comparison to age-matched control subjects (p < 0.01), although the extent of this reduction was relatively small (5-6% of the control values). Linear regression analyses revealed significant inverse associations between BPb and the decreased hippocampal volume on both sides of brain hemisphere. Among five brain metabolites investigated by MRS, i.e., N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA), creatine (Cr), choline (Cho), inosine (mI), glutamate/glutamine (Glx) and lipids (Lip), a significant decrease in NAA/Cr ratio (7% of controls, p < 0.05) and a remarkable increase in Lip/Cr ratio (40%, p < 0.01) were observed in the brains of Pb-exposed workers as compared to controls. Furthermore, the increased Lip/Cr ratio was significantly associated with BPb (r = 0.46, p < 0.01). Taken together, this study suggests that occupational exposure to Pb may cause subtle structural and functional alteration in human brains. The MRI and MRS brain imaging techniques can be used as the non-invasive means to evaluate Pb-induced neurotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue-Ming Jiang
- Department of Occupational Health and Toxicology, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
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