[Pneuropsychological disorders after occupational exposure to mercury vapors in El Bagre (Antioquia, Colombia)].
BACKGROUND
The department of Antioquia in Columbia is the main producer of gold in Columbia. In the gold-producing regions the population is exposed to high levels of mercury used in the processes of extraction and purification. Studies done in Columbia on neurotoxicity underline the hazards of mercury from the environmental and occupational-health point of view, but the effect of long-term exposure on cognitive function has not been studied.


OBJECTIVE
To determine whether the miners of El Bagre (Antioquia, Columbia) have neuropsychological and/or behavior disorders as a result of occupational exposure to toxic mercury vapor.


METHODS
The sample was made up of 22 right-handed men, residents of El Bagre, aged between 20 and 45 years old who had been exposed to mercury vapor for at least three years. The control group consisted of 22 men who lived in the non-mining regions of the department and had not been exposed to mercury, paired with the cases considered for age and educational status. Neuropsychological assessment, a medical examination and behavioral performance tests were applied to all the men (in both groups).


RESULTS
In the study group alterations were seen and classified as: intellectual damage (mainly alteration of executive function and constructional praxis); emotional changes (symptoms of depression and anxiety) and neurological changes (amnesia, insomnia and tremor of the tongue). No changes were found in the control group.


CONCLUSIONS
Exposure to mercury causes specific neuropsychological and behavior disorders in the absence of clinically detectable physical or physiological damage.
Tirado
V
V
Universidad de Antioquia, Medellin, Colombia.
García
M A
MA
Moreno
J
J
Galeano
L M
LM
Lopera
F
F
Franco
A
A
D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention / Q000187:drug effects; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced*; D003105:Colombia; D006046:Gold; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced*; D020262:Mercury Poisoning, Nervous System / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D008875:Middle Aged; D008906:Mining; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*
D006046:Gold