Neuropsychological study of ciguatera fish poisoning: A longitudinal case-control study

Abstract

Untreated ciguatera was associated acutely with significant subjective neurotoxicity symptoms and anxiety which were transient, but not with objectively measured cognitive changes. Future investigation with a larger sample size is warranted.

An Updated Review of Ciguatera Fish Poisoning: Clinical, Epidemiological, Environmental, and Public Health Management

“…Neuropsychological symptoms, which often become apparent in the days or weeks after the initial or acute illness, include subjectively reported cognitive complaints such as confusion, reduced memory, and difficulty concentrating [64,65,66,67], depression or irritability [64,65,68], and anxiety [65]. Fatigue or malaise have been reported and may be debilitating [6,62,69,70].…”

“…Neuropsychological symptoms (e.g., depression, anxiety, inability to concentrate, subjective memory loss) [7,64,65,68,78,86,101,102,103,104] have also been reported, after the initial or acute illness. One longitudinal study assessed symptoms in 12 CFP patients and 12 healthy control subjects, at a baseline evaluation (within a few weeks after intoxication) and at a six-month follow-up evaluation.…”

“…Follow-up evaluations revealed resolution of all symptoms after six months. Of note, almost all of the CFP cases in that study were poisoned by fish from Caribbean waters, and the chronicity of symptoms in Caribbean cases may differ from that of Pacific or Indian Ocean cases [52,65]. …”

Ciguatera Poisoning and Neurological Effects

“…It is possible that such neurological symptoms become chronic in some individuals [9]. Cardiological symptoms can include bradycardia, junctional bradycardia, hypotension and arrhythmia [2,10]. Other symptoms can also result from CTX which include muscular, neuropsychiatric and dermatological problems.…”

“…The mechanism of neurological symptoms is related to toxicity of sodium channels through hyperpolizaration [2]. This results in opening of channels during the resting potential, whereas they should normally be closed [13].…”