One man’s swordfish story: The link between Alzheimer’s disease and mercury exposure

Foley, Madeline; Seidel, Ilana; Sevier, Justin; Wendt, Julie; Коган, М. И.

doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2020.102499

Cited by 13 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…A recent study reported a case of an old man diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, presenting with high levels of mercury due to MeHg-containing fish consumption. After a detoxification dietary regime, his body mercury levels dropped and his memory partially improved [51].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genetic Polymorphism of Delta Aminolevulinic Acid Dehydratase (ALAD) Gene and Symptoms of Chronic Mercury Exposure in Munduruku Indigenous Children within the Brazilian Amazon

Perini

Silva

Vasconcellos

et al. 2021

IJERPH

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Genetic polymorphisms involved in mercury toxicokinetics and toxicodynamics may be associated with severe mercury toxicity. This study aimed to investigate the impact of an ALAD polymorphism on chronic mercury exposure and the health situation of indigenous children from the Brazilian Amazon. One-hundred-and-three indigenous children (under 15 years old) were included and genotyped (rs1800435) using a TaqMan validated assay. The mean age was 6.6 ± 4.5 years old, 60% were female, 49% presented with anemia, and the mean hair mercury concentration was 7.0 ± 4.5 (1.4–23.9) µg/g, with 49% exceeding the reference limit (≥6.0 µg/g). Only two children were heterozygous ALAD, while the others were all wild type. Minor allele frequency (ALAD G) and heterozygous genotype (ALAD CG) were 1% and 2%, respectively. The two children (12 and 14 years old) with the ALAD polymorphism had mercury levels above the average as well as had neurological symptoms related to chronic mercury exposure, such as visual field alterations, memory deficit, distal neuropathy, and toe amyotrophy. Both children also reported frequent consumption of fish in the diet, at least three times a week. In conclusion, our data confirm that an ALAD polymorphism can contribute to mercury half-life time, harmful effects, and neuropsychological disorders in indigenous children with chronic mercury exposure to gold mining activity.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genetic Polymorphism of Delta Aminolevulinic Acid Dehydratase (ALAD) Gene and Symptoms of Chronic Mercury Exposure in Munduruku Indigenous Children within the Brazilian Amazon

Perini

Silva

Vasconcellos

et al. 2021

IJERPH

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“…Links between chronic dietary exposure to environmental toxins and progressive neurodegenerative disease continue to accumulate [ 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 ]. Here, we investigate the effects of BMAA and MeHg, two environmental neurotoxins known to bioaccumulate in the marine food chain, concentrate in apex predators, and have synergistic effects on neural cells [ 19 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 ]. Our necropsy cohort consisted of a small group of dolphins that were found stranded in Massachusetts, which frequently reports a number of harmful algal blooms and MeHg contamination [ 4 , 34 , 35 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…MeHg is a neurotoxic organometallic cation form from inorganic mercury in the marine environment [ 58 ]. The most predominant route of MeHg exposure is the consumption of contaminated fish and seafood [ 12 , 33 , 58 ]. Once ingested, MeHg is absorbed and transported freely across the BBB where it can strongly associate with thiol groups on proteins to cause oxidative stress, disrupt calcium homeostasis, and trigger neuronal death [ 59 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

BMAA, Methylmercury, and Mechanisms of Neurodegeneration in Dolphins: A Natural Model of Toxin Exposure

Garamszegi

Banack

et al. 2021

Toxins

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Dolphins are well-regarded sentinels for toxin exposure and can bioaccumulate a cyanotoxin called β-N-methylamino-l-alanine (BMAA) that has been linked to human neurodegenerative disease. The same dolphins also possessed hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), suggesting a possible association between toxin exposure and neuropathology. However, the mechanisms of neurodegeneration in dolphins and the impact cyanotoxins have on these processes are unknown. Here, we evaluate BMAA exposure by investigating transcription signatures using PCR for dolphin genes homologous to those implicated in AD and related dementias: APP, PSEN1, PSEN2, MAPT, GRN, TARDBP, and C9orf72. Immunohistochemistry and Sevier Münger silver staining were used to validate neuropathology. Methylmercury (MeHg), a synergistic neurotoxicant with BMAA, was also measured using PT-GC-AFS. We report that dolphins have up to a three-fold increase in gene transcription related to Aβ+ plaques, neurofibrillary tangles, neuritic plaques, and TDP-43+ intracytoplasmic inclusions. The upregulation of gene transcription in our dolphin cohort paralleled increasing BMAA concentration. In addition, dolphins with BMAA exposures equivalent to those reported in AD patients displayed up to a 14-fold increase in AD-type neuropathology. MeHg was detected (0.16–0.41 μg/g) and toxicity associated with exposure was also observed in the brain. These results demonstrate that dolphins develop neuropathology associated with AD and exposure to BMAA and MeHg may augment these processes.

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“…The recent paper "One Man's Swordfish Story: The Link between Alzheimer's Disease and Mercury Exposure" reports the interesting case of an old man suffering from cognitive decline with Alzheimer's disease diagnosis showing high levels of mercury due to MeHg-containing fish consumption. Interestingly, following a detoxification dietary regime, his memory partially improved as the levels of mercury dropped in his body (Foley et al, 2020). Accordingly, in another study the authors found a positive correlation between the blood levels of ethylmercury and cognitive decline in older adults and elderly American populations (Geier et al, 2019).…”

Section: Methylmercury Targets Brain Neurogenesis? Possible Implicatimentioning

confidence: 93%

“…Among the consequences of these neurotoxic effects (even after prenatal exposure to MeHg) one can identify depression-like symptoms (Ceccatelli et al, 2013). Several of these symptoms can be observed in the same individual directly intoxicated with contaminated fish (Foley et al, 2020).…”

Section: The Environmental Impact Of Mercurymentioning

confidence: 99%

Methylmercury Impact on Adult Neurogenesis: Is the Worst Yet to Come From Recent Brazilian Environmental Disasters?

Raposo

Pinto

Moreira

et al. 2020

Front. Aging Neurosci.

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Worldwide environmental tragedies of anthropogenic origin causing massive release of metals and other pollutants have been increasing considerably. These pollution outbreaks affect the ecosystems and impact human health. Among those tragedies, recent large-scale environmental disasters in Brazil strongly affected riverside populations, leading to high-risk exposure to methylmercury (MeHg). MeHg is highly neurotoxic to the developing brain. This toxicant causes neural stem cell dysfunction and neurodevelopmental abnormalities. However, less is known about the effects of MeHg in the postnatal neurogenic niche, which harbors neural stem cells and their progeny, in the adult brain. Therefore, taking in consideration the impact of MeHg in human health it is urgent to clarify possible associations between exposure to mercury, accelerated cognitive decline, and neurodegenerative diseases. In this perspectives paper, we discuss the neurotoxic mechanisms of MeHg on postnatal neurogenesis and the putative implications associated with accelerated brain aging and early-onset cognitive decline in populations highly exposed to this environmental neurotoxicant.

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One man’s swordfish story: The link between Alzheimer’s disease and mercury exposure

Cited by 13 publications

References 13 publications

Genetic Polymorphism of Delta Aminolevulinic Acid Dehydratase (ALAD) Gene and Symptoms of Chronic Mercury Exposure in Munduruku Indigenous Children within the Brazilian Amazon

Genetic Polymorphism of Delta Aminolevulinic Acid Dehydratase (ALAD) Gene and Symptoms of Chronic Mercury Exposure in Munduruku Indigenous Children within the Brazilian Amazon

BMAA, Methylmercury, and Mechanisms of Neurodegeneration in Dolphins: A Natural Model of Toxin Exposure

Methylmercury Impact on Adult Neurogenesis: Is the Worst Yet to Come From Recent Brazilian Environmental Disasters?

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