title: A pilot study of the effect of low level exposure to mercury on the health of dental surgeons.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This project was conducted to examine whether the computerised analysis of psychomotor responses available from Cognitive Drug Research is appropriate for measuring an effect of low level exposure to mercury in dentists.
  
  
  METHODS
  A computerised battery of psychomotor tests was given to two groups of dentists (older dentists and trainees) and to two age matched control groups. As well as the psychomotor tests, volunteers were required to complete a questionnaire to identify potential influences on psychomotor performance and to provide a sample for analysis of urinary mercury.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Statistical analysis of the results showed that the older dentists had slightly higher concentrations of urinary mercury although most were around background levels and they were all within occupational limits. Five of the psychomotor tests showed no differences between the performance of the four groups. The older dentists showed significantly better performance on the simple reaction time test and significantly poorer performance in the immediate word recall and delayed word recall tests.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Poorer performance in memory recall tests confirms previously reported studies. This together with the confirmation that this test system is a practical tool in the occupational setting suggests that a larger study of the effects of mercury exposure on dentists would be appropriate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, University of Glasgow.
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Ritchie
authors.forename: E B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Macdonald
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hammersley
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: O'Neil
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: McGowan
authors.forename: I M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Dale
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wesnes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003815:Dentists; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced; D008628:Mercury / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000652:urine; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000187:drug effects*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects; D012606:Scotland / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D008628:Mercury