Some effects of methyl mercury salts on the rabbit nervous system

1975 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 115-125 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Carmichael ◽  
J. B. Cavanagh ◽  
R. A. Rodda
Keyword(s):  
Nervous System ◽  
Methyl Mercury ◽  
Mercury Salts

Gene Responses in the Central Nervous System of Zebrafish Embryos Exposed to the Neurotoxicant Methyl Mercury

2013 ◽  
Vol 47 (7) ◽  
pp. 3316-3325 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nga Yu Ho ◽  
Lixin Yang ◽  
Jessica Legradi ◽  
Olivier Armant ◽  
Masanari Takamiya ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Methyl Mercury ◽  
Zebrafish Embryos ◽  
The Central Nervous System

I. Environmental Contamination and Biochemical Relationships

1975 ◽  
Vol 38 (5) ◽  
pp. 285-300 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. G. HUGUNIN ◽  
R. L. BRADLEY
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Methyl Mercury ◽  
Sea Water ◽  
Inorganic Mercury ◽  
Whole Body ◽  
Irreversible Damage ◽  
Mercury Compounds ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
Pass Through

Mercury is naturally concentrated in geographical belts, but geological cycling has distributed the element in all strata of the earth. Natural concentrations of mercury are approximately 100 ppb in soil, 0.06 ppb in fresh water, 0.01–0.30 ppb in sea water, and 0.003–0.009 μg/m3 in air. Concentrations vary, being highest near mineral deposits. The concentration of mercury in some areas has been significantly increased by human carelessness. An epidemic among Japanese fishing families, death of Swedish wildlife, and discovery of elevated mercury levels in American fish focused attention on this problem. The discovery that certain species are capable of methylating inorganic mercury indicates pollution with any chemical form of mercury is dangerous. Alkylmercurials are the most dangerous form of mercury in the environment. Alkylmercurials are absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract, diffuse across the blood-brain carrier, and pass through the placental membrane in significantly higher proportions than other mercury compounds. The whole body half-life of methyl mercury in humans is 76 ± 3 days compared to half-lives of 37 ± 3 days for men and 48 ± 5 days for women observed for mercuric salts. Not readily broken down, sufficient concentrations of methyl mercury can cause irreversible damage to the central nervous system. Renal damage usually results from high levels of aryl- or alkoxyalkylmercurials and inorganic mercury; however, vapors of elemented mercury can damage the central nervous system. Organic mercury compounds cause chromosome changes, but the medical implications resulting from levels of mercury in food are unknown. The concentration of mercury in red blood cells and hair is indicative of the exposure to alkylmercurials. On a group basis, blood and urine concentrations of mercury may corrrelate with recent exposure to mercury.

Neurotropic enteroviruses co-opt “fair-weather-friend” commensal gut microbiota to drive host infection and central nervous system disturbances

2019 ◽  
Vol 42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin B. Clark
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Gut Bacteria ◽  
Infection Cycle ◽  
Fair Weather ◽  
Host Health ◽  
Microbe Interactions ◽  
Animal Hosts ◽  
Host Infection ◽  
Neuropsychiatric Conditions

Abstract Some neurotropic enteroviruses hijack Trojan horse/raft commensal gut bacteria to render devastating biomimicking cryptic attacks on human/animal hosts. Such virus-microbe interactions manipulate hosts’ gut-brain axes with accompanying infection-cycle-optimizing central nervous system (CNS) disturbances, including severe neurodevelopmental, neuromotor, and neuropsychiatric conditions. Co-opted bacteria thus indirectly influence host health, development, behavior, and mind as possible “fair-weather-friend” symbionts, switching from commensal to context-dependent pathogen-like strategies benefiting gut-bacteria fitness.

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