Quantification of Essential Minerals and Heavy Elements in the Scalp Hair of Jordanian Children with Specific Language Impairment

Abstract

Abstract During the past four decades, the number of children diagnosed with specific language impairment (SLI) has been increased. The factors contribute to SLI are not completely identified; therefore, more studies consensus on the pathophysiological etiologies of this disorder is essential. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the levels of 5 essential minerals: iron (Fe), potassium (K), manganese (Mn), magnesium (Mg), and zinc (Zn) in addition to 9 heavy metals: aluminum (Al), barium (Ba), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), lithium (Li), lead (Pb), indium (In), and strontium (Sr) in the scalp hair samples of 39 Jordanian children diagnosed with SLI compared with their 37 healthy control children aged 4 to 7 years. Hair samples were cut, acid digested, and analyzed by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). Results revealed that Zn level was significantly lower in hair samples of SLI group as compared to the control group (p = 0.02). In SLI group, a significant positive correlation was noted between Zn and Mn (p = 0.04), Al and Li (p = 0.05), as well as Fe and Mn (p < 0.001). These findings would be useful for increasing the understanding of SLI etiology. More elemental studies of larger sample size could participate in future development of therapies that could decrease SLI related symptoms. Also, profiling of elements in hair could provide a nutritional tracking tool with a larger time window that guide the supplementation with essential elements for children with SLI as therapeutic tool.