The role of neurochemical factors in the chronic mercury intoxication development

Abstract

The search of pathogenetic targets for the diagnosis and treatment of mercury intoxication is an actual problem. The aim of the investigation was to study the dynamics of changes in neurochemical parameters in workers in contact with mercury and in persons in the early and distant period of intoxication. A prospective cohort examination included 69 men, exposed to mercury vapors in the workplace (1) and 36 patients in the distant (2) and 18 – in initial period of chronic mercury intoxication (3). Serotonin, histamine, catecholamines and their metabolites were determined in blood plasma. The maximum number of indicators that changed in the dynamics of the survey was registered in the group 2. Dopamine level increased by a maximum value - 284%, noradrenaline - 124%. Only the noradrenaline content changed in 3.2 times in patients in the group 3 and in 1.4 times in experienced workers without pathology. This changes in experienced workers was partially offset by its transition to inactive metabolite normetanephrine. The increase of noradrenaline concentration was not accompanied by increase of its metabolite level in the group 3. But the increase of the dopamine, serotonin and histamine joined in the distant period of chronic mercury intoxication.