Interference of ethanol and methylmercury in the developing central nervous system

Cristiane do Socorro Ferraz Maia1, Greice Maria Rodrigues de Souza Lucena, Pollyanna Barbosa Farias Corrêa

  • 1Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde, Curso de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade de Brasília, Distrito Federal 70910-900, Brazil. crismaia@unb.br

Neurotoxicology
|December 23, 2008
PubMed
Summary

Combined exposure to ethanol and methylmercury during development may harm the central nervous system (CNS), causing deficits in locomotion, anxiety, depression, and cognition in rats.

Related Concept Videos

Hepatic Encephalopathy01:29

Hepatic Encephalopathy

DefinitionHepatic encephalopathy is a reversible neurologic syndrome that results from advanced liver dysfunction or portosystemic shunting. It leads to disturbances in cognition, behavior, and motor function due to the brain’s exposure to gut-derived toxins that the liver fails to detoxify.EtiologyThis condition develops either in the setting of acute fulminant hepatitis or progressively during chronic liver disease, such as cirrhosis and portal hypertension. Portosystemic shunting—including...
CNS Depressants: Alcohol and Nicotine01:27

CNS Depressants: Alcohol and Nicotine

Ethanol, a clear colorless alcohol, has been consumed by humans for millennia, but its effects on the body are far from benign. At lower doses, it induces decreased inhibitions and loquaciousness, leading to its social appeal. However, it can cause severe consequences at higher doses, such as coma and respiratory depression, due to its zero-order elimination kinetics. Chronic ethanol abuse wreaks havoc on multiple organ systems, particularly the CNS and the liver. Abrupt cessation of ethanol...
Teratogenicity01:07

Teratogenicity

The ability of a drug to produce structural deformations and functional abnormalities in the developing embryo or the fetus is called teratogenicity, and the drug producing this effect is known as a teratogen. Teratogenic effects include stillbirth, miscarriage, intrauterine growth restriction, and neurocognitive delay. A teratogen may affect the embryo at different stages of development, which is important in determining the type and extent of the damage. During blastocyst formation, the early...