Summary
Thirty-one squirrel monkey fetuses were exposed to lead acetate given to the mothers perorally during the last three-fourths or two-thirds of pregnancy. The mean maternal blood lead concentration of the group was 37 μg/100 ml and the individual means ranged from 22–82 μg/100 ml. Examination of the central nervous system was performed in 15 of the offspring (one abortion, eight stillborns, three neonatal deaths, two killed fetuses and one killed newborn). The mean cerebral weight was reduced for the fetal age (about 10%). Three cerebra were paradoxically overweight for the fetal age as well as for the body weight, probably due to edema. Neurohistology revealed large numbers of characteristic perivascular, petechial hemorrhages in the white matter in six of the fifteen cerebra. In two of these cases, such hemorrhages were also found in the white matter of the cerebellum, brain stem and spinal cord. Examination of four recovered placentas (two after delivery and two at hysterotomies) indicated a lead dose-dependent weight reduction and revealed various pathological lesions. The extensive brain hemorrhages, as well as varying degrees of edema, were seen in still-borns and neonates, while prenatally sacrificed fetuses showed few or no petechial hemorrhages and no signs of edema. It is suggested that lead is involved in the parenchymal growth retardation and the endothelial changes in the prenatal brain, as well as the placental damage, and that prematurity, birth-associated mechanical stress and asphyxia contribute to or precipitate vascular lesions, which may form the basis of acute, or later apparent, neurobehavioral disturbances.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Angle CR, McIntire MS (1964) Lead poisoning during pregnancy. Am J Dis Child 108:436–439
Bellinger D, Leviton A, Waternaux C, Needleman H, Rabinowitz M (1987) Longitudinal analyses of prenatal and postnatal lead exposure and early cognitive development. N Engl J Med 316:1037–1043
Blackman SS Jr (1937) The lesions of lead encephalitis in children. Bull Johns Hopkins Hosp 1:1–44
Brann AW Jr, Myers RE (1975) Central nervous system findings in the newborn monkey following severe in utero partial asphyxia. Neurology 25:327–338
Davis J, Svendsgaard DJ (1987) Lead and child development (Commentary). Nature 329:297–300
Edwards MJ, Beatson J (1984) Effects of lead and hyperthermia on prenatal brain growth of guinea pigs. Teratology 30:413–421
Ferm VH, Carpenter SJ (1967) Developmental malformations resulting from the administration of lead salts. Exp Mol Pathol 7:208–213
Gale TF (1978) A variable embryotoxic response to lead in different strains of hamsters. Environ Res 17:325–333
Ghafour SY, Khuffash FA, Ibrahim HS, Reavey PC (1984) Congenital lead intoxication with seizures due to prenatal exposure. Clin Pediatr 23:282–283
Hackett PL, Hess JO, Sikov MR (1982) Effect of dose level and pregnancy on the distribution and toxicity of intravenous lead in rats. J Toxicol Environ Health 9:1007–1020
Hackett PL, Hess JO, Sikov MR (1982) Distribution and effects of intravenous lead in the fetoplacental unit of the rat. J Toxicol Environ Health 9:1021–1032
Kruckenberg SM, Dennis SM, Leipold HW, Oehme FW, Cook JE (1976) Teratogenicity of lead acetate in microtus ochrogaster (prairie voles). Vet Toxicol 18:58–60
Lögdberg B, Berlin M, Schütz A (1987) Effects of lead exposure on pregnancy outcome and the fetal brain of squirrel monkeys. Scand J Work Environ Health 13:135–145
McClain RM, Becker BA (1975) Teratogenicity, fetal toxicity, and placental transfer of lead nitrate in rats. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 31:72–82
Miller CD, Buck WB, Hembrough FB, Cunningham WL (1982) Fetal rat development as influenced by maternal lead exposure. Vet Hum Toxicol 24:163–166
Miller DT, Etzel RA, McFarland JG, Aster RH, White GC (1987) Prolonged neonatal autoimmune atrombocytopenic purpura associated with anti-Bak(a). Two cases in siblings. Am J Perinatol 4:55–58
Minsker DH, Moskalski N, Peter CP, Robertson RT, Bokelman DL (1982) Exposure of rats to lead nitrate in utero or postpartum; effects on morphology and behavior. Biol Neonate 41:193–203
Moore MR, Meredith PA, Goldberg A (1977) A retrospective analysis of blood-lead in mentally retarded children. Lancet I:717–719
Palmisano PA, Sneed RC, Cassady G (1969) Untaxed whiskey and fetal lead exposure. J Pediatr 75:869–872
Ryu JE, Ziegler EE, Fomon SJ (1978) Maternal lead exposure and blood lead concentration in infancy. J Pediatr 93:476–478
Singh NP, Thind IS, Vitale LF, Pawlow M (1976) Lead content of tissues of baby rats born of, and nourished by lead-poisoned mothers. J Clin Med 87:273–280
Singh N, Donovan CM, Hanshaw JB (1978) Neontal lead intoxication in a prenatally exposed infant. J Pediatr 93:1019–1021
Stolzenberg SJ, Jones DCL, Kaplan JN, Barth RA, Hodgen GD, Madan SM (1979) Studies with timed-pregnant squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus). J Med Primatol 9:29–38
Tachon P, Laschi A, Briffaux JP, Brain G (1983) Lead poisoning in monkeys during pregnancy and lactation. Sci Total Environ 30:221–229
Timpo AE, Amin JS, Casalino MB (1979) Congenital lead intoxication. J Pediatr 94:765–767
Zegarska Z, Kilkowska K, Romankiewicz-Wozniczko G (1974) Developmental defects in white rats caused by acute lead poisoning. Folia Morphol (Warsz) 18:29–35
Zook BC, London WT, Wilpizeski CR, Sever JL (1980) Experimental lead paint poisoning in nonhuman primates. J Med Primatol 9:343–360
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lögdberg, B., Brun, A., Berlin, M. et al. Congenital lead encephalopathy in monkeys. Acta Neuropathol 77, 120–127 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00687421
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00687421