Yes, lead is extremely toxic and has been proven repeatedly to
cause neurological damage, in humans as well as laboratory animals. It is
thought that the fall of the Roman Empire was somewhat due to the fact
that they stored food and drink in leaded containers. So, I would advise
that if you have been storing drinks in leaded crystal that you dispose of
it and not use it again.
I have just completed my undergraduate senior thesis on lead
toxicity, and as many other researchers have found, the lead caused
significant behavioral impairments in the rats. They were seen to receive
significantly fewer reinforcers on an IRT>15 second schedule in the
operant chamber. Several studies have also been done on children who have
been exposed to lead, mostly by participating in pica, the eating of paint
chips. These children have been placed in special ed classes, have been
seen to be hyperactive, have slowed reaction times, attention deficit
disorder, etc. So, yes, according to hundreds of studies lead is very
neurologically damaging, and not a good chemical to mess with.
