Overview

• A Science Advances study led by Mount Sinai found that prenatal and early childhood lead exposure speeds the rate at which 6- to 8-year-olds forget information, even at median blood lead concentrations around 1.7 µg/dL.
• Investigators used a delayed matching-to-sample task paired with a nonlinear power function—methods validated in animal toxicology—to model memory decay in young children.
• Higher lead levels measured between ages 4 and 6 were linked to significantly faster forgetting, whereas older children and those with higher maternal IQ scores showed better retention.
• This translational approach bridges human epidemiology with mechanistic insights from animal research and offers a robust framework for studying other environmental neurotoxicants.
• The authors call for expanded lead prevention policies in vulnerable communities to safeguard children’s cognitive development before irreversible damage occurs.