title: Neurobehavioral performance of Inuit children with increased prenatal exposure to methylmercury.
abstract: Exposure to methylmercury from marine mammals and other seafood may affect the development of the central nervous system. In a traditional Inuit community in Qaanaaq, Greenland, mercury concentrations in cord blood and maternal hair have been examined in connection with all births. We examined 43 children at age 7-12 years with a battery of neurobehavioral tests. The average mercury concentration in hair was 5.0 microg/g and 1.5 microg/g in children and mothers, respectively. Clinical neurological examination did not reveal any obvious deficits. However, neuropsychological tests showed possible exposure-associated deficits, though only in a few cases reaching statistical significance. In conjunction with data from other studies, peak latencies on brainstem auditory evoked potentials tended to be prolonged at increased exposure levels. The data from the present study therefore appears in accordance with other evidence that prenatal or early postnatal exposures to methylmercury may cause subtle neurobehavioral deficits.
authors: Department of Occupational and Public Health, The Faroese Hospital System, Torshavn, Foroe Islands.
authors: Pál
authors: P
authors: Weihe
authors: Jens C
authors: JC
authors: Hansen
authors: Katsuyuki
authors: K
authors: Murata
authors: Frodi
authors: F
authors: Debes
authors: Poul
authors: P
authors: Jørgensen
authors: Ulrike
authors: U
authors: Steuerwald
authors: Roberta F
authors: RF
authors: White
authors: Philippe
authors: P
authors: Grandjean
mesh_terms: D001933:Brain Stem / Q000503:physiopathology; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D005072:Evoked Potentials, Auditory; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry; D006116:Greenland; D006801:Humans; D004930:Inuit; D018811:Maternal Exposure; D008767:Methylmercury Compounds / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000097:blood; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects
chemical_list: D008767:Methylmercury Compounds