Fall 2020 Seminar Series (ENV 847-S/PHARM 847-S)
Duke Integrated Toxicology & Environmental Health Program
Friday, September 18, 2020, 12:00 – 1:15 pm
*Live Zoom Presentation. Register HERE to receive Zoom link!*
AARON REUBEN, MEM, PhD CANDIDATE
Department of Psychology & Neuroscience
Duke University
Pronouns: He / Him / His
Lifespan consequences of childhood lead exposure: evidence from the four-decade Dunedin Study
Millions of adults born during the peak use of lead in gasoline (1960’s-1980’s) were exposed to high levels of lead, a neurotoxicant, as children. Lead disrupts brain development, with known consequences for child cognitive, fine-motor, and emotional and behavioral development. Less well-known are the consequences later in life. This talk will present the recent history of lead exposure in the US and globally and describe the new findings on lifespan consequences of early life exposure as revealed by long-term follow-up among lead-tested members of the multi-decade New Zealand-based Dunedin Study.
BIOGRAPHY: Aaron Reuben is a science writer, environmental epidemiologist, and clinical psychologist-in-training at Duke University. His research examines the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) hypothesis, investigating the influence of the early-life environment on child brain, cognitive, and emotional development and, later, adult brain, cognitive, and emotional health, with particular focus on neurotoxicants and the built environment. His clinical work focuses on child and adult neuropsychological assessment as well as therapy for mental disorders with cognitive complaints and organic brain impairment, including ADHD, executive dysfunction, depression, anxiety, and insomnia. His science writing considers the overlap of public health, nature, and neuroscience.