N-acetyl cysteine treatment reduces mercury-induced neurotoxicity in the developing rat hippocampus

Abstract

Mercury is an environmental toxicant that can disrupt brain development. However, while progress has been made in defining its neurotoxic effects, we know far less about available therapies that can effectively protect brain in exposed individuals. We previously developed an animal model in which we defined the sequence of events underlying neurotoxicity: Methylmercury (MeHg) injection in postnatal rat acutely induced inhibition of mitosis and stimulated apoptosis in the hippocampus, that later resulted in int…