Issues of pathogenetic relationships between neurochemical indices under the chronic mercury exposure

Abstract

Introduction. Currently, the role of neurochemical factors in the pathogenesis of disorders caused by mercury exposure remains unclear. Material and methods. A survey was conducted of 77 male patients (average age: 45.4+1.1 years, average experience - 17.1+1.1 years) exposed to mercury vapor (46 persons without pathology, 31 - with signs of disorders in the nervous system), 36 patients were diagnosed with chronic mercury intoxication (CMI) in the long-term period. We determined dopamine (DA), noradrenaline (NA), epinephrine (AD), normetanephrine (NMN), metanephrine (MN), serotonin (SER), histamine (HIST), brain neurotrophic factor (BDNF), neurotrophic factor 3 (NT-3), ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF), and neuron-specific enolase. The analysis of features correlations was calculated by the sum of the square of correlation relations (∑ŋ) between indices and the determination of the influence and dependence ranks for each component. Results. In workers without signs of pathology, the leading role among catecholamines was occupied by NA (∑ŋЗ/NA = 1.65), in the general system the top position belonged to HIST (∑ŋЗ/HIST = 2.10), SER had a minimum value (∑ŋЗ/SER = 0). In individuals with signs of disorders in the nervous system, AD and DA were regulated via NMN (ŋAD/NMN = 0.29) and MN (ŋAD/MN = 0.59 and ηDA/MN = 0.46), which had an upper position in the system (∑ŋЗ/NMN = 1.62 and ∑ηЗ/MN = 1.92). CNTF belonged to the determining position among neurotrophic factors (∑ŋЗ/CNTF = 0.75). In patients with CMI, NA (∑ŋЗ/NA = 1.48) was the leading position. SER and HIST occupied the lowest ranking position (∑ŋЗ/SER = 0.59 and ∑ŋЗ/HIST = 0.25). The presence of three closed subsystems is established. In one of them (NT-3, CNTF, and BDNF), BDNF was influenced by other factors. Discussion. The interdependence between neurochemical indices specifyie their involvement in the pathological process of disorders in the central nervous system under chronic mercury exposure. Conclusion. Changes in the interdependencies in the system of neurochemical indices under the influence of mercury have a labile character, which determines the development of clinical manifestations of the disorders of the nervous system.