Leo Buchanan PHD
Title Associate Professor
Institution University of Massachusetts Medical School
Department Pediatrics
Division Community Pediatrics
Address Eunice Kennedy Shriver Center
200 Trapelo Road
Waltham MA 02452
Telephone 781/642-0216
Email
Other Positions
Institution UMMS - Programs, Centers and Institutes
Department Shriver Center
Narrative

Academic Background

B.A., Audiology/Speech-Language Pathology, Howard University, Washington, D.C.
M.S., Communicative Disorders (Audiology/Hearing Science), University of Wisconsin-Madison
Ph.D., Communicative Disorders (Audiology) & Physiological Psychology/Neurophysiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Current Appointments

Director of Audiology, University of Massachusetts Medical School/Eunice Kennedy Shriver Center

Advisory Board, Universal Newborn Hearing Screening Program, Massachusetts Department of Public Health

Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics, University of Massachusetts Medical School

Recent Honors

William A Hinton Award for environmental research and commitment to improving the health status of people of color, Massachusetts Department of Public Health/Harvard School of Public Health

Research Interests

Leo Buchanan, Ph.D.

Dr. Buchanan's primary research explores the effects of developmental neurotoxicants on auditory neurosensory, and neurocognitive performance of children and adults. Dr. Buchanan is currently collaborating with an international interdisciplinary research team to investigate auditory neurosensory and neurocognitive effects of lead and mercury exposure in children and adults living in the Andes Mountains of Ecuador where lead poisoning from lead-glazing of ceramics, and mercury poisoning from gold mining activities are prevalent. On a second international project, Dr. Buchanan works with Dr. McIlvane of the University of Massachusetts Medical School/Shriver Center, and an interdisciplinary team of U.S. and Brazilian researchers to investigate sensory and neurobehavioral effects of mercury exposure in Brazilian children living in mercury-contaminated villages. Other research interests include hearing loss and aging in persons with intellectual disabilities. Dr. Buchanan discovered that individuals with Down syndrome have an early-onset age-related hearing loss, which is consistent with premature aging. Dr. Buchanan also has research and clinical interests in dichotic listening (processing of disparate auditory stimuli presented simultaneously to both ears) as an index of auditory brain information processing, and how auditory processing disorders impact auditory perception and learning. Other professional interests include early hearing detection and intervention, environmental justice, and pre-college science education.

Ongoing Projects

Previous Research Discovery

Publications
1. Counter SA, Buchanan LH, Ortega F. Association of Hemoglobin levels and Brainstem Auditory Evoked Responses in Lead-Exposed Children. Clin Biochem. 2012 Jun 23.
  View in: PubMed
 
2. Counter SA, Buchanan LH, Ortega F. Acoustic stapedius muscle reflex in mercury-exposed Andean children and adults. Acta Otolaryngol. 2012 Jan; 132(1):51-63.
  View in: PubMed
 
3. Buchanan LH, Counter SA, Ortega F. Environmental lead exposure and otoacoustic emissions in andean children. J Toxicol Environ Health A. 2011 Oct 1; 74(19):1280-93.
  View in: PubMed
 
4. Counter SA, Buchanan LH, Ortega F, van der Velde J, Borg E. Assessment of auditory brainstem function in lead-exposed children using stapedius muscle reflexes. J Neurol Sci. 2011 Jul 15; 306(1-2):29-37.
  View in: PubMed
 
5. Counter SA, Buchanan LH, Ortega F. Neurocognitive screening of lead-exposed andean adolescents and young adults. J Toxicol Environ Health A. 2009; 72(10):625-32.
  View in: PubMed
 
6. Counter SA, Buchanan LH, Ortega F. Neurophysiologic and neurocognitive case profiles of Andean patients with chronic environmental lead poisoning. J Toxicol Environ Health A. 2009; 72(19):1150-9.
  View in: PubMed
 
7. Counter SA, Buchanan LH, Ortega F. Zinc protoporphyrin levels, blood lead levels and neurocognitive deficits in Andean children with chronic lead exposure. Clin Biochem. 2008 Jan; 41(1-2):41-7.
  View in: PubMed
 
8. Counter SA, Buchanan LH, Ortega F, Rifai N, Shannon MW. Comparative analysis of zinc protoporphyrin and blood lead levels in lead-exposed Andean children. Clin Biochem. 2007 Jul; 40(11):787-92.
  View in: PubMed
 
9. Counter SA, Buchanan LH, Ortega F. Lead concentrations in maternal blood and breast milk and pediatric blood of Andean villagers: 2006 follow-up investigation. J Occup Environ Med. 2007 Mar; 49(3):302-9.
  View in: PubMed
 
10. Counter SA, Buchanan LH, Ortega F. Neurocognitive screening of mercury-exposed children of Andean gold miners. Int J Occup Environ Health. 2006 Jul-Sep; 12(3):209-14.
  View in: PubMed
 
11. Counter SA, Buchanan LH, Ortega F. Mercury levels in urine and hair of children in an Andean gold-mining settlement. Int J Occup Environ Health. 2005 Apr-Jun; 11(2):132-7.
  View in: PubMed
 
12. Counter SA, Buchanan LH, Ortega F. Neurocognitive impairment in lead-exposed children of Andean lead-glazing workers. J Occup Environ Med. 2005 Mar; 47(3):306-12.
  View in: PubMed
 
13. Counter SA, Buchanan LH, Ortega F. Current pediatric and maternal lead levels in blood and breast milk in Andean inhabitants of a lead-glazing enclave. J Occup Environ Med. 2004 Sep; 46(9):967-73.
  View in: PubMed
 
14. Counter SA, Buchanan LH. Mercury exposure in children: a review. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2004 Jul 15; 198(2):209-30.
  View in: PubMed
 
15. Counter SA, Ortega F, Shannon MW, Buchanan LH. Succimer (meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA)) treatment of Andean children with environmental lead exposure. Int J Occup Environ Health. 2003 Apr-Jun; 9(2):164-8.
  View in: PubMed
 
16. Counter SA, Buchanan LH, Ortega F, Laurell G. Elevated blood mercury and neuro-otological observations in children of the Ecuadorian gold mines. J Toxicol Environ Health A. 2002 Jan 25; 65(2):149-63.
  View in: PubMed
 
17. Counter SA, Buchanan LH. Neuro-ototoxicity in andean adults with chronic lead and noise exposure. J Occup Environ Med. 2002 Jan; 44(1):30-8.
  View in: PubMed
 
18. Counter SA, Buchanan LH, Ortega F. Gender differences in blood lead and hemoglobin levels in Andean adults with chronic lead exposure. Int J Occup Environ Health. 2001 Apr-Jun; 7(2):113-8.
  View in: PubMed
 
19. Counter SA, Buchanan LH, Ortega F, Amarasiriwardena C, Hu H. Environmental lead contamination and pediatric lead intoxication in an Andean Ecuadorian village. Int J Occup Environ Health. 2000 Jul-Sep; 6(3):169-76.
  View in: PubMed
 
20. Counter SA, Buchanan LH, Ortega F, Rifai N. Blood lead and hemoglobin levels in Andean children with chronic lead intoxication. Neurotoxicology. 2000 Jun; 21(3):301-8.
  View in: PubMed
 
21. Bergdahl IA, Vahter M, Counter SA, Schütz A, Buchanan LH, Ortega F, Laurell G, Skerfving S. Lead in plasma and whole blood from lead-exposed children. Environ Res. 1999 Jan; 80(1):25-33.
  View in: PubMed
 
22. Buchanan LH, Counter SA, Ortega F, Laurell G. Distortion product oto-acoustic emissions in Andean children and adults with chronic lead intoxication. Acta Otolaryngol. 1999; 119(6):652-8.
  View in: PubMed
 
23. Counter SA, Buchanan LH, Laurell G, Ortega F. Field screening of blood lead levels in remote Andean villages. Neurotoxicology. 1998 Dec; 19(6):871-7.
  View in: PubMed
 
24. Counter SA, Buchanan LH, Rosas HD, Ortega F. Neurocognitive effects of chronic lead intoxication in Andean children. J Neurol Sci. 1998 Sep 18; 160(1):47-53.
  View in: PubMed
 
25. Counter SA, Buchanan LH, Laurell G, Ortega F. Blood mercury and auditory neuro-sensory responses in children and adults in the Nambija gold mining area of Ecuador. Neurotoxicology. 1998 Apr; 19(2):185-96.
  View in: PubMed
 
26. Counter SA, Buchanan LH, Ortega F, Laurell G. Normal auditory brainstem and cochlear function in extreme pediatric plumbism. J Neurol Sci. 1997 Nov 6; 152(1):85-92.
  View in: PubMed
 
27. Counter SA, Vahter M, Laurell G, Buchanan LH, Ortega F, Skerfving S. High lead exposure and auditory sensory-neural function in Andean children. Environ Health Perspect. 1997 May; 105(5):522-6.
  View in: PubMed
 
28. Vahter M, Counter SA, Laurell G, Buchanan LH, Ortega F, Schütz A, Skerfving S. Extensive lead exposure in children living in an area with production of lead-glazed tiles in the Ecuadorian Andes. Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 1997; 70(4):282-6.
  View in: PubMed
 
29. Buchanan LH, Moore EJ, Counter SA. In: D.E. Battle (Ed.), Communication Disorders in Multicultural Populations. Hearing disorders and auditory assessment. 1993; Chapter 9:256-286.
 
30. Buchanan LH, Harding KM, Mierzwa Hudner C. Hearing disorder management in Down syndrome patients. Hearing Instruments. 1991; 42(11):12-15.
  View in: External Web Site
 
31. Buchanan LH. Early onset of presbyacusis in Down syndrome. Scand Audiol. 1990; 19(2):103-10.
  View in: PubMed
 
32. Lane RH, Mendel MI, Kupperman GL, Vivion MC, Buchanan LH, Goldstein R. Phase distortion of averaged electroencephalic response. Arch Otolaryngol. 1974 Jun; 99(6):428-32.
  View in: PubMed
 
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Hamad, Charles
Twyman, Janet
Braden, Kathleen
Bandini, Linda
Swanson, Susan

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