Abstract: Objective To investigate the effects of exposure to heavy metals such as lead, manganese and cadmium on children's growth, development and neurocognitive function. Methods Totally 243 children who underwent preschool physical examination in Shilong Town Hospital in Dongguan City from September 2017 to September 2019 were enrolled in this study.The content of blood lead, manganese and cadmium was measured, and then children were divided into high-lead (n=31) and low-lead group (n=212), high-manganese (n=46) and low-manganese group (n=197), high-cadmium (n=50) and low-cadmium group (n=193).Correlations of the three heavy metals levels with children's age, height, weight, spatial memory ability, target tracking attention, spatial rotation ability were analyzed to explore the impact of blood lead, manganese and cadmium on neurocognitive function of children. Results The height of children in high-lead group was lower than that in low-lead group.Blood lead level was negatively correlated with children's height, spatial memory ability, target tracking attention and spatial rotation ability (r=-0.180, -0.367, -0.334, -0.217, P＜0.05).Blood cadmium level was negatively related to spatial memory capacity (r=-0.140, P＜0.05).Blood manganese had no significant correlation with age, height, weight, spatial memory ability, target tracking attention and spatial rotation ability (P＞0.05). Conclusions The increase of blood lead level may affect the growth and development of children in this area.In addition, the increase of lead and cadmium may impact the neurocognitive function, especially the decrease of memory ability.It is necessary to detect heavy metal pollution as early as possible and intervene in time to ensure children's physical and mental health.

Key words: lead, manganese, cadmium, neurocognitive function, spatial memory ability, target tracking attention, spatial rotation ability

摘要： 目的 分析本地区重金属铅、锰、镉暴露对儿童生长发育及神经认知功能的影响,探讨重金属铅、锰、镉对该地区儿童神经认知功能的影响。方法 收集2017年9月-2019年9月在东莞市石龙镇卫生院进行幼儿园入学前体检的243例儿童,进行血铅、锰、镉含量的检测,并将铅、锰、镉分别分为高铅组(31例)和低铅组(212例)、高锰组(46例)和低锰组(197例)、高镉组(50例)和低镉组(193例),比较三种重金属与儿童年龄、身高、体重、空间记忆能力、目标追踪注意力、空间旋转能力之间的相关性。结果 高铅组儿童身高、体重低于低铅组,血铅与儿童身高、空间记忆能力、目标追踪注意力、空间旋转能力呈负相关(r=-0.180、-0.367、-0.334、-0.217, P＜0.05),血镉与空间记忆能力呈负相关(r=-0.140,P＜0.05),血锰与年龄、身高、体重、空间记忆能力、目标追踪注意力、空间旋转能力均无明显相关性(P＞0.05)。结论 本地区铅升高可能影响儿童生长发育,此外,铅和镉升高可能影响神经认知功能,其中记忆能力下降尤为明显,应及早发现重金属污染问题,及时干预,保证儿童身心健康。

关键词: 铅, 锰, 镉, 神经认知功能, 空间记忆能力, 目标追踪注意力, 空间旋转能力