Widespread neuronal degeneration in rats following oral administration of methylmercury during the postnatal developing phase: a model of fetal-type minamata disease.

Abstract

The neurotoxicity of methylmercury (MeHg) treatment during the postnatal developing phase in rats was studied. Rats on postnatal day 1 were orally administered 5 mg/kg/day methylmercury chloride (MMC) for more than 30 consecutive days. Body weight loss began 26 days after MMC was administered, and severe paralysis of the hind-limbs and unsteadiness appeared subsequently. Histopathologically, the widespread neuronal degeneration was observed in the cerebral neocortex, neostriatum, red nucleus, brainstem, cerebellum and spinal dorsal root ganglia on day 32. The widespread distribution of the lesions was quite similar to that in fetal cases of MeHg intoxication in Minamata, Japan. These findings suggest that MMC treatment during the postnatal development phase in rats produce a good model of fetal-type Minamata disease.

• Authors: M Sakamoto, K Wakabayashi, A Kakita, Hitoshi Takahashi, T Adachi, A Nakano
• Journal: Brain research (Brain Res) Vol. 784 Issue 1-2 Pg. 351-4 (Feb 16 1998) ISSN: 0006-8993 [Print] Netherlands
• PMID: 9518689 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.

Chemical References

• Methylmercury Compounds

Topics

• Animals
• Animals, Newborn (physiology)
• Body Weight (drug effects)
• Female
• Ganglia, Spinal (cytology, physiology)
• Male
• Mercury Poisoning (physiopathology, psychology)
• Methylmercury Compounds (toxicity)
• Nerve Degeneration (physiopathology)
• Paralysis (chemically induced, physiopathology)
• Parietal Lobe (pathology)
• Rats
• Rats, Wistar