Behavior of some psychological parameters in a population of a Hg extraction plant.
52 workers of a plant transforming Hg mineral were subjected to psychological investigation in order to detect behavioral alterations which might be related to Hg exposure. A group of 29 subjects living in the same area was used as the control. The test battery included reaction times, mental efficiency measures, and personality indexes for a total of 33 variables. Results were analyzed through statistical elaboration using parametric tests. Efficiency and memory measures could discriminate exposed individuals from controls; for the personality profiles, an interpretation explaining the differences observed is proposed in terms of a dynamic profile having different characteristics in the different groups studied. Reference to existing literature is made to verify any possible correlation with other authors' findings.
D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000139:chemically induced; D001519:Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D006801:Humans; D008630:Mercury Poisoning / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000523:psychology*; D010551:Personality / Q000187:drug effects