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Cited by 37Mercury impact and mitigation studiesHeavy Metal Exposure and ToxicityDrug-Induced Ocular Toxicity

Comparison of visual functions of two Amazonian populations: Possible consequences of different mercury exposure

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Lacerda, Eliza Maria da Costa Brito, Souza, Givago da Silva, Cortes, Maria Izabel Tentes, Rodrigues, Anderson Raiol, Pinheiro, Maria Conceição Nascimento, Silveira, Luiz Carlos de Lima, Ventura, Dora Fix·2020·Frontiers in Neuroscience
DOI 10.3389/fnins.2019.01428PMC PMC6985551
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Abstract

The present study investigated the visual perimetry and color vision of two Amazonian populations differently exposed to mercury. Ten riverines environmentally exposed to mercury by fish eating and 34 gold-miners occupationally exposed to mercury vapor. The visual perimetry was estimated using the Förster perimeter and the color vision was evaluated using a computerized version of Farnsworth-Munsell test. Riverine and gold-miners' hair mercury concentrations were quantified. Mercury hair concentration of the riverines was significantly higher than that from gold-miners. Riverines had lower perimetric area than the gold-miners. The errors in the hue ordering test of both Amazonian populations were larger than the controls (non-exposed subjects), but there was no difference between themselves. Riverines had significant multiple association between the visual function and hair mercury concentration, while the gold-miners has no significant association with the exposure. We concluded that the different ways of mercury exposure led to similar visual outcomes, with greater impairment in riverines (organic mercury exposed subjects).

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  • Ingested methylmercury is rapidly absorbed by the human gastrointestinal tract, principally affecting the central nervous and cardiovascular systems.

    “Ingested methylmercury is rapidly absorbed by the human gastrointestinal tract, principally affecting the central nervous and cardiovascular systems [28,29,30].”

    From Health Risk Assessment of Mercury Exposure from Fish Consumption in Munduruku Indigenous Communities in the Brazilian Amazon (2021) · cites this paper as [28]

    The Discussion (page unavailable) says methylmercury from food is absorbed in the duodenum and accumulates in nervous tissue; the Introduction (page unavailable) describes neurological effects. The paper does not say gastrointestinal absorption is rapid or identify the cardiovascular system as a principal target. Its statement that absorption is fast refers instead to inhaled mercury vapor entering through the lungs. (LLM, conf=0.88)

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Authors
Lacerda, E. M. D. C. B., Souza, G. D. S., Cortes, M. I. T., Rodrigues, A. R., Pinheiro, M. C. N., Silveira, L. C. D. L., & Ventura, D. F.
Affiliations
  • Universidade Ceuma (BR)
  • Universidade Federal do Pará (BR)
  • Universidade de São Paulo (BR)
Corresponding author
Ventura, Dora Fix
ORCID
Venue
Frontiers in Neuroscience
Publisher
Frontiers Media SA
Published
2020-01-21
Volume
13
Pages
1428-1428
ISSN
1662-453X (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.3389/fnins.2019.01428
PMC
PMC6985551
OpenAlex
W3001030102
Cited by
37
References
0
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 2
FWCI
2.04
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Frontiers in Neuroscience (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Fundação Amazônia Paraense de Amparo à Pesquisa (2268)
  • Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (620037/2008-3, 476744/2009-1, 442191/2014-6)
  • Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (2014/26818-2)
  • Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (182/2007)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Mercury impact and mitigation studies
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Heavy Metal Exposure and Toxicity
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Ophthalmology › Drug-Induced Ocular Toxicity
Keywords
mercury exposure, visual function, color vision, gold miners, riverine communities, fish consumption, organic mercury, hair mercury concentration, Amazonian populations

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