The toxic metal lead has cast a long shadow on our collective well-being.
The findings indicate that lead has been even more dangerous to humanity than we knew.
Leaded gasoline eventually became Americans single largest source of lead exposure, reaching a peak during the 1960s.
Leaded gasoline was once ubiquitous, though it’s since been phased out worldwide.© Favor_of_God via Getty
In their new study, the researchers decided to examine the mental health toll of lead.
More practically, they estimated that lead directly helped cause 151 million more cases of psychiatric disorder.
The biggest lead-linked increases were seen with symptoms of anxiety, depression, and ADHD.
Lead levels in the environment are thankfully now much lower than they were in the 1960s.
And there are many parts of the world where lead regulations are much more lax.
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