title: [Environmental epidemiology research leads to a decrease of the exposure limit for mercury].
abstract: The central nervous system is particularly vulnerable to prenatal exposure to methylmercury. Due to the widespread exposure to methylmercury from fish, several prospective environmental epidemiology studies have been initiated, in which the maternal exposure during the pregnancy is related to the neurobehavioural development of the children. We have studied a Faroese birth cohort prenatally exposed to methylmercury from maternal intake of contaminated pilot whale meat. At seven years of age, clear dose-response relationships were observed for deficits in attention, language, and memory. An increase in blood pressure was also associated with the prenatal exposure level. The exposure limit for mercury has therefore been decreased.
authors.affiliation: Faerøernes Sygehusvaesen, afdeling for arbejdsmedicin og folkesundhed, Syddansk Universitet, Institut for sundhedstjenesteforskning, og Københavns Universitet, Institut for Folkesundhedsvidenskab, Biostatistisk afdeling.
authors.forename: Pál
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Weihe
authors.forename: Froôi
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Debes
authors.forename: Roberta F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: Nicolina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sørensen
authors.forename: Esben
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Budtz-Jørgensen
authors.forename: Niels
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Keiding
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Grandjean
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000139:chemically induced; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000139:chemically induced*; D004289:Dolphins; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005399:Fishes; D005506:Food Contamination; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000139:chemically induced; D007806:Language Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced; D008452:Maximum Allowable Concentration; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced; D008767:Methylmercury Compounds / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012106:Research
chemical_list: D008767:Methylmercury Compounds