Multinuclear ((1)H, (77)Se, and (199)Hg) NMR spectroscopy demonstrates that 1-methyl-1,3-dihydro-2H-benzimidazole-2-selone, H(sebenzim(Me)), a structural analogue of the selenoamino acid, selenoneine, binds rapidly and reversibly to the mercury centers of HgX2 (X = Cl, Br, I), while X-ray diffraction studies provide evidence for the existence of adducts of composition [H(sebenzim(Me))]xHgX2 (X ...

The British physician James Parkinson reported in a publication in 1817 the clinical symptomatology in paralysis agitans or shaking palsy. The name of this disorder today is Parkinson's disease (PD). Parkinsonism is characterized by hypokinesia, rigidity, tremor, symptoms from the vegetative nervous system, and in some cases dementia. Tremor is the most characteristic, and often the first sympt...

There is controversy about the risks and benefits of consuming fish. Fish consumption provides nutrients, some of which are essential for brain growth and development. All fish, however, contain methyl mercury (MeHg), a known neurotoxicant. The toxic effect of MeHg seems most damaging during brain development, and thus, prenatal exposure is of greatest concern. At present the level of prenatal ...

This article reviews progress in the research of methyl mercury (MeHg) and nutrient interactions during the past two decades. Special emphasis is placed on the following three major areas: a) effects on kinetics, b) effects on toxicity, and c) possible mechanisms. Dietary information is not usually collected in most epidemiologic studies examining of the effects of MeHg exposure. However, incon...

The aims of this work were to compare the effects of methyl mercury chloride and thimerosal on neurite/process outgrowth and microtubule proteins in differentiating mouse N2a neuroblastoma and rat C6 glioma cells. Exposure for 4h to sublethal concentrations of both compounds inhibited neurite outgrowth to a similar extent in both cells lines compared to controls. In the case of N2a cells, this ...