title: Evidence that mercury from silver dental fillings may be an etiological factor in multiple sclerosis.
abstract: This paper investigates the hypothesis that mercury from silver dental fillings (amalgam) may be related to multiple sclerosis (MS). It compares blood findings between MS subjects who had their amalgams removed to MS subjects with amalgams. MS subjects with amalgams were found to have significantly lower levels of red blood cells, hemoglobin and hematocrit compared to MS subjects with amalgam removal. Thyroxine levels were also significantly lower in the MS amalgam group and they had significantly lower levels of total T Lymphocytes and T-8 (CD8) suppressor cells. The MS amalgam group had significantly higher blood urea nitrogen and lower serum IgG. Hair mercury was significantly higher in the MS subjects compared to the non-MS control group. A health questionnaire found that MS subjects with amalgams had significantly more (33.7%) exacerbations during the past 12 months compared to the MS volunteers with amalgam removal. The paper also examines epidemiological correlations between dental caries and MS; as well as how mercury could be causing the pathological and physiological changes found in multiple sclerosis.
authors.affiliation: Rocky Mountain Research Institute, Inc., Fort Collins, CO 80524.
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Siblerud
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kienholz
mesh_terms: D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier / Q000187:drug effects; D003723:Dental Amalgam / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008628:Mercury / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology; D009186:Myelin Sheath / Q000187:drug effects; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D003723:Dental Amalgam; D008628:Mercury