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Lead Levels and Child Development

Claire B. Ernhart received her PhD in psychology from Tulane University and is now an associate pro-fessor in the School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University. She is also on the staff of Cleveland Metropolitan General Hospital, where she chairs the Committee on Investigation in Hu-mans. Address: Claire B. Ernhart, PhD. Department of Psychiatry, Cleveland Metropolitan General Hos-pital, Cleveland, OH 44109.

Herbert L. Needleman

Herbert L. Needleman received his MD from the University of Pennsylvania, and is certified in pedi-atrics and psychiatry. He is an associate professor of child psychiatry and pediatrics at the University of Pittsburgh. Address: Herbert L. Needleman, MD. Chief, Psychiatry, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, 125 DeSoto St., Pittsburgh, PA 15213.

In the December 1974 issue of this journal, J. Perino and C.B. Ernhart reported that moderate levels of lead exposure in 80 preschool, urban, black children were related to cognitive impairment. In October of 1985, C.B. Ernhart, B. Landa, and A.W. Wolf pre-sented a re-analysis of the data reported in the 1974 article. These researchers revised the position originally taken by Perino and Ernhart and concluded, based on their re-analysis, that if there was an effect of lead levels on cognitive development, it was minimal.

In the June/July 1986 issue of this journal, H.L. Needleman presented an argument against the methodology used in the re-analysis of the data by C.B. Ernhart and her colleagues. He felt that it was inappropriate to conclude, based on such a data analysis, that the relationship of lead level and cognitive development was of little consequence in the sample of children. C.B. Ernhart, in a response to his argument in the June/July 1986 issue, continued to support the re-analysis and findings.

Correspondence regarding the data analysis has continued, and I asked five mem-bers of the JLD Board of Consulting Editors to review the articles, data, and correspon-dence on this matter. After careful study, we all agreed that because of the importance of the topic, space should again be devoted to it. In the following Commentary, Ernhart and Needleman present statements on their respective positions; I will conclude with a brief editorial statement.—JLW

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