Elemental imaging shows mercury in cells of the human lateral and medial geniculate nuclei.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Interference with the transmission of sensory signals along visual and auditory pathways has been implicated in the pathogenesis of hallucinations. The relay centres for vision (the lateral geniculate nucleus) and hearing (the medial geniculate nucleus) appear to be susceptible to the uptake of circulating mercury. We therefore investigated the distribution of mercury in cells of both these geniculate nuclei.

Materials and methods

Paraffin-embedded tissue sections containing the lateral geniculate nucleus were obtained from 50 adults (age range 20-104 years) who at autopsy had a variety of clinicopathological conditions, including neurological and psychiatric disorders. The medial geniculate nucleus was present in seven sections. Sections were stained for mercury u

SUBMITTER: Pamphlett R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7176133 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature