CEN Colloquium: Lifespan neuropsychiatric consequences of early life lead exposure

Millions of adults now entering midlife and old age were exposed to high levels of lead, a neurotoxicant, as children. While childhood lead exposure has been linked to disrupted cognitive and behavioral development, the long-term consequences remain poorly characterized. This talk will describe what we have learned by following a group of lead-tested children for 40 years (the population-representative 1972 New Zealand birth cohort, the Dunedin Study) and what we still need to learn about the planet’s most ubiquitous and widely utilized neurotoxicant. Implications for social equity, public policy, clinical practice, and future research will be discussed.

Dr. Aaron Reuben is Assistant Professor of neuropsychology and environmental health at the University of Virginia. His lab investigates the interplay of the physical environment with brain health across the lifespan, focusing on environmental hazards like neurotoxicants and environmental amenities like parks and green-spaces. Aaron holds a PhD in Clinical Psychology from Duke University and a Masters in Environmental Management from Yale University. He is a former study coordinator for Columbia University's Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, a presidential policy intern at the White House Council on Environmental Quality, and a communications officer for the International Union for Conservation of Nature. He holds the Richard Merritt Jr. Memorial Award for Excellence in Science Journalism and is a 2023 recipient of the Cozzarelli Prize of the Proceedings of the US National Academy of Sciences.

To join remotely: https://mpib-berlin.webex.com/mpib-berlin/j.php?MTID=maff3dee0ad54cb921191ff33d0b92347

Meeting number: 2744 645 6180

Password: ArpQMePJ352