Prenatal and Childhood Lead Exposure Linked to Faster Memory Decay in Children
Study is among the first to quantify how exposure to lead influences memory in children in a way that can be used in both human and animal models
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A study led by researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai shows that exposure to lead during pregnancy and early childhood may accelerate the rate at which children forget information—a critical marker of memory impairment that may have implications for learning and development.
Using delayed matching-to-sample task (DMTS)—a cognitive task that can be used to evaluate underlying neurobehavioral functions, such as attention and working memory, and has been demonstrated to be sensitive to metal neurotoxicants—the study examined how both prenatal and early childhood blood lead levels affect working memory in children ages 6 to 8. In this task, the children were presented a picture, and then had to select that same picture from three choices presented after a brief delay. The study was published in Science Advances on July 9, 2025.
Researchers applied an innovative statistical approach known as a nonlinear modified power function to model memory decay, uncovering a measurable link between higher childhood lead levels and faster forgetting rates.
The findings showed that higher lead exposure at ages 4–6 was significantly associated with a faster rate of forgetting—even at low median blood lead levels (~1.7 µg/dL). Additionally, older children and those whose mother’s IQ was higher were more likely to show better memory retention.
“The nonlinear modified power function has been validated in previous animal and human studies but is now applied in the field of environmental health,” said Katherine Svensson, PhD, MS, a postdoctoral fellow in Environmental Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and co-first author of the study. “This new usage is important because children are exposed to many environmental chemicals, and this model provides a validated method to further assess the effect of additional environmental exposures, such as heavy metals, air pollution, or endocrine disruptors, on children’s working memory.”
This study also validates a method for assessing neurobehavioral function, paving the way for translational research that can bridge human data with mechanistic insights from laboratory studies.
“Our work advances the current literature by incorporating operant tests—specifically the DMTS—which are commonly used in animal toxicology studies but sparse in human studies. This translational approach is a key innovation of our work,” said Jamil M. Lane, PhD, MPH, Instructor, Environmental Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and co-first author.
The implications are clear: even low-level lead exposure can undermine key cognitive functions in young children. As memory and attention are foundational for academic and social success, this research underscores the urgent need for continued investment in lead prevention efforts—especially in historically overburdened communities.
“There may be no more important a trait than the ability to form memories. Memories define who we are and how we learn,” said Robert Wright, MD, MPH, Ethel H. Wise Chair of the Department of Environmental Medicine and Co-Director of the Institute for Exposomic Research at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. “This paper breaks new ground by showing how environmental chemicals can interfere with the rate of memory formation. Children with higher levels of blood lead forgot the test stimulus faster than those with low blood lead levels.”
This study opens the door for future work to explore how environmental exposures like lead intersect with other cognitive domains such as attention, executive function, and reward processing. It also strengthens the case for policy interventions that protect children’s developing brains before irreversible harm occurs.
Research funding for this study was provided in part by NIH grants: T32HD049311, R01ES014930, R01ES013744, R24ES028522, P30ES023515, R01ES026033, R01MH122447, R01ES029511, R01ES028927, R03ES033374, and K25HD104918. Read the full study here. DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adq4495
About the Mount Sinai Health System
Mount Sinai Health System is one of the nation’s leading integrated academic health systems and one of the largest in the New York metropolitan area. Its comprehensive system includes seven hospitals, more than 400 outpatient practices, over 600 research and clinical laboratories, the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, and the Mount Sinai Phillips School of Nursing. Together, the Health System comprises approximately 48,000 employees, more than 9,000 physicians, and 8,600 nurses.
As a leading learning health system, Mount Sinai combines clinical expertise with scientific discovery to improve patient care while training the next generation of health care and biomedical leaders. The Health System provides care across every stage of life, from prenatal care through geriatrics, while advancing personalized medicine through artificial intelligence, data science, and biomedical research.
Mount Sinai is consistently recognized among the nation’s leading academic health systems for patient care, research, and education. The Mount Sinai Hospital is ranked No. 1 in New York by Newsweek and No. 5 on the magazine’s World’s Best Hospitals list. The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai ranks No. 11 among U.S. medical schools and No. 1 among freestanding medical schools for National Institutes of Health funding, reflecting the strength of its scientific enterprise and leadership in biomedical research.