title: Preliminary findings on the effects of occupational exposure to mercury vapor below safety levels on visual and neuropsychological functions.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate whether there are visual and neuropsychological decrements in workers with low exposure to Hg vapor.
  
  
  METHODS
  Visual fields, contrast sensitivity, color vision, and neuropsychological functions were measured in 10 workers (32.5 +/- 8.5 years) chronically exposed to Hg vapor (4.3 +/- 2.8 years; urinary Hg concentration 22.3 +/- 9.3 microg/g creatinine).
  
  
  RESULTS
  For the worst eyes, we found altered visual field thresholds, lower contrast sensitivity, and color discrimination compared with controls (P <0.05). There were no significant differences between Hg-exposed subjects and controls on neuropsychological tests. Nevertheless, duration of exposure was statistically correlated to verbal memory and depression scores.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Chronic exposure to Hg vapor at currently accepted safety levels was found to be associated with visual losses but not with neuropsychological dysfunctions in the sample of workers studied.
authors: Neuroscience and Behavior, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil. mirellabarboni@usp.br
authors: Mirella Telles Salgueiro
authors: MT
authors: Barboni
authors: Cláudia
authors: C
authors: Feitosa-Santana
authors: Elaine Cristina
authors: EC
authors: Zachi
authors: Marcos
authors: M
authors: Lago
authors: Rosani Aparecida Antunes
authors: RA
authors: Teixeira
authors: Anita
authors: A
authors: Taub
authors: Marcelo Fernandes
authors: MF
authors: da Costa
authors: Luiz Carlos de Lima
authors: LC
authors: Silveira
authors: Dora Fix
authors: DF
authors: Ventura
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000652:urine; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003118:Color Perception / Q000187:drug effects; D003119:Color Perception Tests; D015350:Contrast Sensitivity / Q000187:drug effects; D003404:Creatinine / Q000652:urine; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008628:Mercury / Q000652:urine; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014794:Visual Fields / Q000187:drug effects; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D003404:Creatinine; D008628:Mercury