Subclinical cerebellar anterior lobe, vestibulocerebellar and spinocerebellar afferent effects in young female lead workers in China: computerized posturography with sway frequency analysis and brainstem auditory evoked potentials.

By computerized static posturography with sway frequency analysis, subclinical effects of lead on postural balance was examined in 29 female workers (lead workers) employed at a glass factory for 3-17 (mean 7.9) years in Beijing, China, in relation to brainstem function assessed by brainstem auditory evoked potential (BAEP). Their blood lead concentrations ranged from 26 to 79 (mean 55.7) microg/dl; ages were 21-30 (mean 28) years. Control subjects, aged 22-29 (mean 27.0) years, were 14 healthy female workers at a textile factory located in the same district. With eyes closed, power of the sway of high (2-4 Hz) and low (1 Hz or less) frequencies in lead workers was significantly larger than that in controls; with eyes open, their power of the sway of low frequency was significantly larger (p<0.05). The multiple regression analysis showed that the power of high frequency sway with eyes closed and of low and high frequencies with eyes open were significantly related to blood lead concentrations in lead workers (p<0.05). On the other hand, no significant differences in BAEP latencies between lead workers and controls were observed. The low frequency sway with eyes open was significantly correlated with the high frequency sway with eyes closed in the lead workers. The pattern of changes in postural balance suggested that the anterior cerebellar lobe, vestibulo-cerebellar and spinocerebellar afferent systems were affected asymptomatically in female lead workers; the sway of vestibulo-cerebellar and anterior cerebellar lobe types were simultaneously affected by lead. It appears that a computerized static posturography with sway frequency analysis is useful technique for assessment of subclinical lead neurotoxicity.