Methylmercury exposure and neurological outcomes in Taiji residents accustomed to consuming whale meat

Nakamura, Masaaki; Hachiya, Noriyuki; Kenya, Murata; Nakanishi, Ichiro; Kondo, Tomoyoshi; Yasutake, Akira; Miyamoto, Kenjiro; Ser, Ping Han; Omi, Sanae; Furusawa, Hana; Watanabe, Chiho; Usuki, Fusako; Sakamoto, Mineshi

doi:10.1016/j.envint.2014.03.005

Cited by 42 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…Since the value of 8.76 µg/g in hair corresponds to 35 µg/L in blood, the results suggest a reference dose ranging from 10 to 20 µg/L in blood after taking uncertainty factor into account; whereas, the average mercury level in whole blood of the same subjects measured after the 14-week exposure was 26.9 µg/L [ 47 ]. In such cases, intake of n -3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and selenium resulting from fish consumption should be considered in each country [ 12 , 48 , 49 , 50 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessment of Cardiac Autonomic Function in Relation to Methylmercury Neurotoxicity

Karita

Iwata

Maeda

et al. 2018

Toxics

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After the European Food Safety Authority reviewed reports of methylmercury and heart rate variability (HRV) in 2012, the panel concluded that, although some studies of cardiac autonomy suggested an autonomic effect of methylmercury, the results were inconsistent among studies and the implications for health were unclear. In this study, we reconsider this association by adding a perspective on the physiological context. Cardiovascular rhythmicity is usually studied within different frequency domains of HRV. Three spectral components are usually detected; in humans these are centered at <0.04 Hz, 0.15 Hz (LF), and 0.3 Hz (HF). LF and HF (sympathetic and parasympathetic activities, respectively) are evaluated in terms of frequency and power. By searching PubMed, we identified 13 studies examining the effect of methylmercury exposure on HRV in human populations in the Faroe Islands, the Seychelles and other countries. Considering both reduced HRV and sympathodominant state (i.e., lower HF, higher LF, or higher LF/HF ratio) as autonomic abnormality, eight of them showed the significant association with methylmercury exposure. Five studies failed to demonstrate any significant association. In conclusion, these data suggest that increased methylmercury exposure was consistently associated with autonomic abnormality, though the influence of methylmercury on HRV (e.g., LF) might differ for prenatal and postnatal exposures. The results with HRV should be included in the risk characterization of methylmercury. The HRV parameters calculated by frequency domain analysis appear to be more sensitive to methylmercury exposure than those by time domain analysis.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessment of Cardiac Autonomic Function in Relation to Methylmercury Neurotoxicity

Karita

Iwata

Maeda

et al. 2018

Toxics

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“…Eating such high-CH 3 Hg fillets would not be recommended for any population, but the reported adverse effects were especially predictable since Se availability to fetal tissue was already compromised by the mothers’ extremely low Se status. Conversely, the adverse effects of high CH 3 Hg exposures have been shown to be alleviated or eliminated when diets containing seafoods with a negative HBV Se are complemented by Se-rich diets (e.g., from consuming Se-rich ocean fish) [ 32 , 33 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Selenium Health Benefit Values: Updated Criteria for Mercury Risk Assessments

Ralston

Raymond

2015

Biol Trace Elem Res

142

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Selenium (Se)-dependent enzymes (selenoenzymes) protect brain tissues against oxidative damage and perform other vital functions, but their synthesis requires a steady supply of Se. High methylmercury (CH3Hg) exposures can severely diminish Se transport across the placenta and irreversibly inhibit fetal brain selenoenzymes. However, supplemental dietary Se preserves their activities and thus prevents pathological consequences. The modified Se health benefit value (HBVSe) is a risk assessment criterion based on the molar concentrations of CH3Hg and Se present in a fish or seafood. It was developed to reflect the contrasting effects of maternal CH3Hg and Se intakes on fetal brain selenoenzyme activities. However, the original equation was prone to divide-by-zero-type errors whereby the calculated values increased exponentially in samples with low CH3Hg contents. The equation was refined to provide an improved index to better reflect the risks of CH3Hg exposures and the benefits provided by dietary Se. The HBVSe provides a biochemically based perspective that confirms and supports the FDA/EPA advice for pregnant and breast-feeding women regarding seafoods that should be avoided vs. those that are beneficial to consume. Since Se can be highly variable between watersheds, further evaluation of freshwater fish is needed to identify locations where fish with negative HBVSe may arise and be consumed by vulnerable subpopulation groups.

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“…MT-45, a synthetic opioid invented in the 1970s, was originally developed as an opioid analgesic, with activity comparable to that of morphine [54, 55]. Sold on the internet as “research chemicals,” MT-45 and other synthetic opioids have recently been implicated in multiple fatalities.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Alopecia and Associated Toxic Agents: A Systematic Review

Juhász

Chiang

et al. 2018

Skin Appendage Disord

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Importance/Objective: There are a number of toxic agents that can cause alopecia. In this review we summarize the known substances that cause alopecia as one of the clinical signs of overdose or toxicity. Evidence Review: A search was conducted using PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane for studies describing hair loss of any type as a result of exposure to or ingestion of a toxic agent. The search yielded 856 articles, with 47 studies included in this review. Findings: Agents with the strongest evidence of association to alopecia include thallium, mercury, selenium, and colchicine. Agents with described incidents include boric acid, arsenic, vitamin A, botulinum toxin, Podostroma cornu-damae, and the synthetic opioid MT-45. Conclusions and Relevance: Numerous toxic agents have been implicated in alopecia, and the strength of evidence behind each agent varies. Toxic levels of thallium and colchicine have long been established to cause alopecia, as compared to agents such as botulinum toxin A and synthetic recreational drugs which have less literature describing their links to alopecia and will need further investigation to characterize their relationships to hair loss. Knowledge of typical presentations of hair loss will aid in the development of a differential diagnosis for patients presenting with alopecia.

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Methylmercury exposure and neurological outcomes in Taiji residents accustomed to consuming whale meat

Cited by 42 publications

References 27 publications

Assessment of Cardiac Autonomic Function in Relation to Methylmercury Neurotoxicity

Assessment of Cardiac Autonomic Function in Relation to Methylmercury Neurotoxicity

Selenium Health Benefit Values: Updated Criteria for Mercury Risk Assessments

Alopecia and Associated Toxic Agents: A Systematic Review

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