The associations between mixed blood heavy metal exposure and depressive symptom: a cross-sectional study in Shandong, China
Abstract Background Given the limited research on the effects of heavy metals on depressive symptoms in young adults and the high prevalence of depression within this age group, it is essential to investigate the potential impact of heavy metals on depressive symptoms. Methods This study involved 20...
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2025-07-01
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-23522-5 |
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| author | Jing Hou Yi He Haifeng Lian Haosen Yan Jialian Li Lailai Yan Wenzhong Huang Yiwen Zhang Sen Gao Hongwei Sun Peng Lu |
| author_facet | Jing Hou Yi He Haifeng Lian Haosen Yan Jialian Li Lailai Yan Wenzhong Huang Yiwen Zhang Sen Gao Hongwei Sun Peng Lu |
| author_sort | Jing Hou |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Given the limited research on the effects of heavy metals on depressive symptoms in young adults and the high prevalence of depression within this age group, it is essential to investigate the potential impact of heavy metals on depressive symptoms. Methods This study involved 2027 college students from Shandong, China. Blood concentrations of heavy metals were measured, and depressive symptoms were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). The Environmental Risk Score (ERS) was used to analyze the relationship between mixed blood heavy metal exposure and depressive symptoms. Sensitivity analyses were conducted using Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression (BKMR) and quantile g-computation (qgcomp) to explore the mixing effect of heavy metals. Results A significant positive association was found between ERS and the risk of depressive symptoms. The main effects of silver (Ag), antimony (Sb), tin (Sn), lanthanum (La), and cerium (Ce) were also positively associated with depressive symptoms. Notably, Ce showed an inverted “U”-shaped nonlinear relationship with depressive symptoms risk. La and Ce exhibited antagonistic effects on the increased risk. Conclusion In summary, mixed exposure to these five metals may be on the relationship between heavy metal exposure and depressive symptoms in young adults. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-72ad6fb6b5d148ebbb2f2999c848099d |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1471-2458 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Public Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-72ad6fb6b5d148ebbb2f2999c848099d2025-08-20T03:06:39ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582025-07-0125111110.1186/s12889-025-23522-5The associations between mixed blood heavy metal exposure and depressive symptom: a cross-sectional study in Shandong, ChinaJing Hou0Yi He1Haifeng Lian2Haosen Yan3Jialian Li4Lailai Yan5Wenzhong Huang6Yiwen Zhang7Sen Gao8Hongwei Sun9Peng Lu10School of Public Health, Binzhou Medical UniversityShanghai Municipal Center for Disease Control and PreventionSchool of Public Health, Binzhou Medical UniversitySchool of Public Health, Binzhou Medical UniversityDepartment of Service and Management, School of Public Service, Yantai Preschool Education CollegePeking UniversityDepartment of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash UniversityDepartment of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash UniversitySchool of Public Health, Binzhou Medical UniversitySchool of Public Health, Binzhou Medical UniversitySchool of Public Health, Binzhou Medical UniversityAbstract Background Given the limited research on the effects of heavy metals on depressive symptoms in young adults and the high prevalence of depression within this age group, it is essential to investigate the potential impact of heavy metals on depressive symptoms. Methods This study involved 2027 college students from Shandong, China. Blood concentrations of heavy metals were measured, and depressive symptoms were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). The Environmental Risk Score (ERS) was used to analyze the relationship between mixed blood heavy metal exposure and depressive symptoms. Sensitivity analyses were conducted using Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression (BKMR) and quantile g-computation (qgcomp) to explore the mixing effect of heavy metals. Results A significant positive association was found between ERS and the risk of depressive symptoms. The main effects of silver (Ag), antimony (Sb), tin (Sn), lanthanum (La), and cerium (Ce) were also positively associated with depressive symptoms. Notably, Ce showed an inverted “U”-shaped nonlinear relationship with depressive symptoms risk. La and Ce exhibited antagonistic effects on the increased risk. Conclusion In summary, mixed exposure to these five metals may be on the relationship between heavy metal exposure and depressive symptoms in young adults.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-23522-5Blood heavy metalsMixturesDepressive symptomsYoung adultsEnvironmental risk scores |
| spellingShingle | Jing Hou Yi He Haifeng Lian Haosen Yan Jialian Li Lailai Yan Wenzhong Huang Yiwen Zhang Sen Gao Hongwei Sun Peng Lu The associations between mixed blood heavy metal exposure and depressive symptom: a cross-sectional study in Shandong, China BMC Public Health Blood heavy metals Mixtures Depressive symptoms Young adults Environmental risk scores |
| title | The associations between mixed blood heavy metal exposure and depressive symptom: a cross-sectional study in Shandong, China |
| title_full | The associations between mixed blood heavy metal exposure and depressive symptom: a cross-sectional study in Shandong, China |
| title_fullStr | The associations between mixed blood heavy metal exposure and depressive symptom: a cross-sectional study in Shandong, China |
| title_full_unstemmed | The associations between mixed blood heavy metal exposure and depressive symptom: a cross-sectional study in Shandong, China |
| title_short | The associations between mixed blood heavy metal exposure and depressive symptom: a cross-sectional study in Shandong, China |
| title_sort | associations between mixed blood heavy metal exposure and depressive symptom a cross sectional study in shandong china |
| topic | Blood heavy metals Mixtures Depressive symptoms Young adults Environmental risk scores |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-23522-5 |
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