1/4. Mercury toxicity. Agency for Toxic Substance and disease Registry.Because mercury has several forms and because it produces subtle effects at chronic low-level exposures, mercury toxicity can be a difficult diagnosis to establish. Elemental mercury vapor accounts for most occupational and many accidental exposures. The main source of organic methyl mercury exposure in the general population is fish consumption. Children are at increased risk of exposure to elemental mercury vapor in the home because it tends to settle to the floor. The chemical and physical forms of mercury determine its absorption, metabolism, distribution and excretion pathways. The central nervous system and kidneys are key targets of mercury toxicity. chelation therapy has been used successfully in treating patients who have ingested mercury salts or inhaled elemental mercury. There is no antidote for patients poisoned with organic mercury.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/4. Inorganic mercury intoxication reminiscent of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.Two employees in a mercuric oxide manufacturing plant developed neurologic changes not previously reported from the exposure to inorganic mercury or elemental mercury vapor. The symptoms, physical findings and laboratory studies resembled those found in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and organic mercury intoxication. Nineteen employees are reported who precipitously developed signs and symptoms which may be regarded to be the early onset of a symptom complex of mercury intoxication that would likely have progressed to the ALS-like syndrome if the progression had not been interrupted by removal of the individuals from exposure to mercury. All symptoms, signs, and laboratory findings returned completely to normal after approximately three months in a mercury free work environment.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/4. The neuropsychiatric sequelae of mercury poisoning. The Mad Hatter's disease revisited.BACKGROUND. The detailed effects of mercury poisoning on cognitive function, brain anatomy and regional brain function are largely unknown. We report the case of a 38-year-old man who was exposed to toxic levels of inorganic mercury. METHOD. Four years after exposure, the patient was assessed using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), single-photon emission computerised tomography (SPECT) and detailed neuropsychological evaluation. RESULTS. The patient developed a myriad of physical and psychiatric complaints, including stomatitis, muscle spasm, tremor, skin rash and the psychiatric syndrome known as 'erythism' (Mad Hatter's disease). Neuropsychological evaluation revealed marked and significant deficits of attention concentration, particularly when under time pressure. The MRI scan was unremarkable; however, SPECT revealed hypermetabolism of the posterior cingulate CONCLUSIONS. mercury poisoning appeared to result in a dysregulation of posterior cingulate cortex, which was associated with attention/concentration deficits and marked anxiety/agitation.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/4. Chronic elemental mercury intoxication: neuropsychological follow-up case study.In initial and follow-up investigations of neuropsychological function in a patient with elemental mercury intoxication, his scores were compared with those of a group of normal control subjects matched for sex, age and education. Each subject received a comprehensive neuropsychological examination including a personality inventory. On the initial examination the results indicated that the patient had a significant depression of performance intellectual functioning, impairments of attention, non-verbal short-term memory and visual judgement of angles and directions, psychomotor retardation and personality changes including depression, anxiety, desire to be alone, lack of interest and sensitivity to physical problems. Such an impairment picture is compatible with the previous observations of individuals with chronic exposure to elemental, organic or inorganic mercury. The follow-up study was undertaken about 1.5 years later. The results show that the patient's cognitive and personality functions were fully recovered. Our findings thus suggest a reversibility of impaired neuropsychological function in persons with elemental mercury poisoning if a prompt removal from the toxic environment is accomplished, together with proper medical treatment.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |