Mercury and multiple sclerosis.

Title : Mercury and multiple sclerosis. Author : Clausen J Address :Institute for Life Sciences and Chemistry, Roskilde University, Denmark. Source : Acta Neurol Scand, 1993 Jun, 87:6, 461-4Abstract :It has occasionally been claimed that multiple sclerosis (MS) may be due to a chronic mercury intoxication, e.g. from mercury liberated from dental fillings.

Therefore, the present communication compares the mercury content assayed by neutron activation in 8 macroscopically normal areas (frontal lobe) of MS autopsy brains with those of 8control samples. No significant differences could be traced between the two groups concerning total mercury.

However, the lipid-soluble mercury (preferably methyl mercury) expressed per cell unit (DNA) was found significantly decreased in MS. These data may be explained either by awash-out of lipid soluble mercury due to break-down of the blood-brain barrier in MS or to abnormalities in methylation processes probably related to the vitamin B12 metabolism in MSDMSA and the placebo myth...(PD)Title :DMSA administration to patients with alleged mercury poisoning from dental amalgams: a placebo-controlled study.

Author :Sandborgh Englund G; Dahlqvist R; Lindelöf B; Söderman E; Jonzon B; Vesterberg O; Larsson KSAddress :Department of Odontological Toxicology, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge, Sweden. Source :J Dent Res, 1994 Mar, 73:3, 620-8

Abstract :The present investigation was performed to determine the effect of14-day oral administration of meso-2.3-dimercaptosucc inic acid (DMSA)on the urinary mercury excretion and the potential reduction of blood and plasma mercury concentrations, and also to relate these effects to possible decrease of symptoms, allegedly associated with amalgam fillings. Twenty subjects, relating their symptoms to mercury from amalgam fillings, received 20 mg/kg DMSA or placebo for 14 days.

Their symptoms and mood states were recorded during the study and at a check-up 3 months later. Interpretation was based on intra-individual differences. DMSA-treatment resulted in an average increase in urinary mercury excretion by 65% and a decrease in blood mercury levels of 0.04microgram/L/day. At the check-up after 3 months, urinary mercury excretion had returned to the pre-treatment level.

No treatment effect of DMSA was apparent on subjective symptoms and mood state. One statistically significant treatment effect was noted-a decrease in fatigue-inertia in the DMSA-group-but there was no demonstrable correlation with increased urinary excretion or decreased blood concentration of mercury.

Three subjects showed hypersensitive reactions, probably DMSA-specific, at the end of the treatment period. This placebo-controlled study provides no scientific support ford iagnostic or therapeutic administration of DMSA for symptoms allegedly associated with chronic mercury exposition from dental amalgam fillings.