Developmental exposure to methylmercury and ADHD, a literature review of epigenetic studies

Ke, Tao; Tinkov, Alexey A.; Skalny, Antoly V; Bowman, Aaron B.; Rocha, João B. T.; Santamarı́a, Abel; Aschner, Michael

doi:10.1093/eep/dvab014

Cited by 10 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 101 publications

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“…The researchers’ hypothesis for this mechanism of action is that artificial food colorings can induce nutritional deficiencies, which could result in impaired neuronal development. Researchers such as Ke et al [ 37 ] associate it with the accumulation of heavy metals such as mercury in the bodies of these children due to the ability of synthetic dyes to modify the levels of zinc and manganese.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Synthetic Colors in Food: A Warning for Children’s Health

de Oliveira,

Silva da Costa,

da Silva dos Santos

et al. 2024

IJERPH

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This study addressed the harmful effects of artificial colors in pediatric populations, including children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), as well as those without behavioral disorders. There is a consensus that synthetic food colorings have several impacts on consumers, especially pediatrics, due to their influence on sensory appeal, which can encourage preference for certain foods. The results revealed that these color additives are directly linked to a series of health problems, with a greater impact on children, including a predisposition to pathological conditions such as carcinogenic, allergenic, mutagenic, cytotoxic, and clastogenic activities, as well as gastrointestinal and respiratory problems, in addition to behavioral changes in children with and without diagnosed disorders. The harms of synthetic dyes in children with or without comorbidities are worrying and require a careful and proactive approach from parents, caregivers and public authorities.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Synthetic Colors in Food: A Warning for Children’s Health

de Oliveira,

Silva da Costa,

da Silva dos Santos

et al. 2024

IJERPH

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show abstract

“…Dopaminergic neurotransmission is involved in cognitive processes such as the reward system, muscular control, and emotion regulation. The effectiveness of dopamine neurotransmission stimulants in treating ADHD shows that the normal dopaminergic neurotransmission in ADHD patients may have been interrupted [ 17 ].…”

Section: Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Elements That Influence the Development of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in Children

Ali¹,

Inyang²,

Koshy³

et al. 2022

Cureus

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Various factors may have a role in the development of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Although the specific pathophysiology of this disease is still not entirely understood, it is believed to be caused by a mix of genetic, maternal, dietary, and environmental factors. The effect of these factors can determine the severity of ADHD; for example, some of them are dose-dependent, but there is a typical pattern that all are known to be associated with either early childhood exposure or maternal exposure during pregnancy. Some factors share a similar mechanism of affecting pathways and increasing the risk of ADHD. ADHD is not a disorder that can be detected before symptoms appear in a child, making it more challenging to anticipate even if a child has been exposed to a known trigger. Environmental pollutants were investigated, and it was shown that there was a link between ADHD in childhood and exposure to pollutants throughout childhood or during pregnancy. It is well known that maternal health is a significant factor in the unborn child's development in many health aspects. The central nervous system (CNS) is a primary system that can suffer irreversible damage from health conditions, stress, depression, or specific nutritional deficiency when the pregnant mother is subjected to these conditions. Even though numerous studies have been conducted to investigate the probable causes of ADHD, with some of them having robust findings, no conclusive explanation can be provided to identify a definitive cause or a risk factor.

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“…This effect may be further increased by zinc deficiency, which is associated with a loss in blood-brain barrier integrity in zinc-deficient mice [ 20 ]. Since studies have shown that heavy metals like mercury may cause susceptibility to ADHD in children due to its effect on neurodevelopment [ 21 ], the zinc deficiency that AFCs can cause could be a factor in ADHD symptom exacerbation. This is further supported by studies that have shown that treating patients with ADHD with zinc sulfate decreased hyperactive and impulsive symptoms in those patients [ 22 ].…”

Section: Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Review of the Association of Blue Food Coloring With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms in Children

Rambler¹,

Rinehart²,

Boehmler³

et al. 2022

Cureus

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Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, also known as ADHD, is a neurodevelopmental disorder diagnosed in children. The exact cause of ADHD is not known, but, along with genetic factors, it is possible that environmental factors including toxins and diet may affect symptom severity. Of these dietary components, artificial food coloring (AFC), while approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), has been suspected to be associated with ADHD symptoms. Of the nine FDA-certified food colors, two are used for artificial blue coloring: Blue No. 1 and Blue No. 2. There is limited literature describing the possible role of blue AFC in causing symptoms of ADHD in children. This paper provides a review of the literature surrounding artificial food coloring and its ability to affect the neurodevelopment of children in a way that could increase the behavioral indicators of ADHD. To do this, search criteria were established using a combination of MeSH terms about blue AFCs and ADHD and were entered into PubMed, along with limits on article types and publication dates from January 2000 to June 2022. There was a total of 20 articles that met this search criterion. These articles were reviewed by authors, and the ones not relevant to the topic were excluded. In total, four studies were chosen to be included in this article. After reviewing the literature, it was found that restriction diets, specifically those excluding AFCs, may affect symptom severity. The source of these changes is not known, but possible mechanisms include AFCs causing nutritional deficiencies and allergic reactions or altering neurotransmitter levels. More research is necessary to describe the neurotoxicity of artificial blue dyes in humans.

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Developmental exposure to methylmercury and ADHD, a literature review of epigenetic studies

Cited by 10 publications

References 101 publications

Synthetic Colors in Food: A Warning for Children’s Health

Synthetic Colors in Food: A Warning for Children’s Health

Elements That Influence the Development of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in Children

A Review of the Association of Blue Food Coloring With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms in Children

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