Toxic effects of mercury on the cardiovascular and central nervous systems.
Environmental contamination has exposed humans to various metal agents, including mercury. This exposure is more common than expected, and the health consequences of such exposure remain unclear. For many years, mercury was used in a wide variety of human activities, and now, exposure to this metal from both natural and artificial sources is significantly increasing. Many studies show that high exposure to mercury induces changes in the central nervous system, potentially resulting in irritability, fatigue, behavioral changes, tremors, headaches, hearing and cognitive loss, dysarthria, incoordination, hallucinations, and death. In the cardiovascular system, mercury induces hypertension in humans and animals that has wide-ranging consequences, including alterations in endothelial function. The results described in this paper indicate that mercury exposure, even at low doses, affects endothelial and cardiovascular function. As a result, the reference values defining the limits for the absence of danger should be reduced.
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Fisiológicas, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, 29042-755 Vitória, ES, Brazil.
Bruna
B
Fernandes Azevedo
Lorena
L
Barros Furieri
Franck Maciel
FM
Peçanha
Giulia Alessandra
GA
Wiggers
Paula
P
Frizera Vassallo
Maylla
M
Ronacher Simões
Jonaina
J
Fiorim
Priscila
P
Rossi de Batista
Mirian
M
Fioresi
Luciana
L
Rossoni
Ivanita
I
Stefanon
María Jesus
MJ
Alonso
Mercedes
M
Salaices
Dalton
D
Valentim Vassallo
D000818:Animals; D001692:Biological Transport / Q000187:drug effects; D002319:Cardiovascular System / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology*; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology*; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D006801:Humans; D007878:Legislation as Topic; D008628:Mercury / Q000633:toxicity*
D008628:Mercury