Mercury levels in hair are associated with reduced neurobehavioral performance and altered brain structures in young adults.

ABSTRACT: The detrimental effects of high-level mercury exposure on the central nervous system as well as effects of low-level exposure during early development have been established. However, no previous studies have investigated the effects of mercury level on brain morphometry using advance imaging techniques in young adults. Here, utilizing hair analysis which has been advocated as a method for biological monitoring, data of regional gray matter volume (rGMV), regional white matter volume (rWMV), fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD), cognitive functions, and depression among 920 healthy young adults in Japan, we showed that greater hair mercury levels were weakly but significantly associated with diminished cognitive performance, particularly on tasks requiring rapid processing (

SUBMITTER: Takeuchi H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9163068 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature