Negative confounding by essential fatty acids in methylmercury neurotoxicity associations.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Methylmercury, a worldwide contaminant of fish and seafood, can cause adverse effects on the developing nervous system. However, long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in seafood provide beneficial effects on brain development. Negative confounding will likely result in underestimation of both mercury toxicity and nutrient benefits unless mutual adjustment is included in the analysis.

Methods

We examined these associations in 176 Faroese children, in whom prenatal methylmercury exposure was assessed from mercury concentrations in cord blood and maternal hair. The relative concentrations of fatty acids were determined in cord serum phospholipids. Neuropsychological performance in verbal, motor, attention, spatial, and memory functions was assessed at 7 years of

SUBMITTER: Choi AL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4051703 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Mar-Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature