Minamata disease (organic mercury poisoning): neuroradiologic and electrophysiologic studies.
We studied 10 patients with Minamata disease (organic mercury poisoning) who have been followed for over 20 years. CT revealed a bilateral, symmetric, low-density area in the visual cortex and diffuse atrophy of the cerebellar hemispheres and vermis, especially the inferior vermis. Computerized quantitative analysis of the tremor of these patients showed a peculiar frequency of 7.075 Hz on postural tremor and 7.501 Hz on action tremor. On studies of short-latency somatosensory evoked potential, all patients showed a lack of the N20 component, the potential of the somatic sensory area.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D002526:Cerebellar Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D005073:Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008630:Mercury Poisoning / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014202:Tremor / Q000175:diagnosis