Does methylmercury have a role in causing developmental disabilities in children?
Methylmercury (MeHg) is a potent neurotoxin that in high exposures can cause mental retardation, cerebral palsy, and seizures. The developing brain appears particularly sensitive to MeHg. Exposure levels in pregnant experimental animals that do not result in detectable signs or symptoms in the mother can adversely affect the offspring’s development. Studies of human poisonings suggest this may also occur in humans. Human exposure to MeHg is primarily dietary through the consumption of fish: MeHg is present in all fresh and saltwater fish. Populations that depend on fish as a major source of dietary protein may achieve MeHg exposure levels hypothesized to adversely affect brain development. Increasing mercury levels in the environment have heightened concerns about dietary exposure and a possible role for MeHg in developmental disabilities. Follow-up studies of an outbreak of MeHg poisoning in Iraq revealed a dose-response relationship for prenatal MeHg exposure. That relationship sugge
Related Questions
- Where can we get copies of the Desired Results Developmental Profile-Revised (DRDP-R), PS manual for children with disabilities and the DRDP access instrument and manual?
- Why is video modeling especially effective for children on the autism spectrum or who have other developmental disabilities?
- Does Methylmercury Have a Role in Developmental Disabilities in Children?
