Gestational Lead Exposure: Implications on Sleep

Science Center K209

Lead (Pb) is a potent toxin, which remains prevalent in our environment despite regulatory efforts. There is no safe limit of the element, and as Pb is still used in petrol in many developing countries, Pb still presents a major global health risk (WHO). Sleep disruption has been observed in a human cohort, and subsequently confirmed in a murine model. We exposed female mice to Pb two weeks prior to conception, thus offspring were exposed to lead throughout gestation and lactation. In these gestationally exposed mice, we identified neuron populations in critical sleep centers: the Locus Coerulus and lateral hypothalamus, and found the number and morphology of these cells are injured by lead exposure. We confirmed these injuries by showing that there are fewer orexinergic boutons in the cortex. Ultimately, sleep is a delicate physiological process: disruption of sleep can indicate underlying health problems. Learning what disrupts sleep, as well as how sleep disruption can affect or be affected by one’s health, is a potential diagnostic tool in the future of medicine.