title: Impairment of nervous system in workers exposed to inorganic mercury.
abstract: Impairment of nervous functions has been investigated by clinical and neurophysiological methods in 55 workers exposed to inorganic mercury intoxication and 27 controls living in the same area. A polyneuropathy, mainly of sensory type, has been found in 6 exposed workers (10,9%) and 2 control (7,4%); a mono or multineuropathy of sensory or motor type was present in 15 exposed (27%) and 10 control (29,6%) subjects. Central N.S. involvement has been found in 7 out of 12 exposed workers examined and in 1 out of 7 controls by electronystagmography. Neurological examination demonstrated minor signs of cerebellar type in 3 instances.
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008630:Mercury Poisoning / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012306:Risk; D013497:Sural Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology; D013997:Time Factors; D014459:Ulnar Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology