NEUROLOGICAL SYMPTOMS AND MERCURY CONCENTRATION IN THE BRAIN OF MICE FED WITH METHYLMERCURY SALT

Abstract

A hypothesis on the critical concentration of mercury in the brain, which is neces-sary to induce neurological symptoms, was tested again by feeding of methylmercury chloride to mice.
As well as in the previous experiment; single or repeated peroral administration of methylmercury chloride to mice, death followed the occurrence of neurological symptoms, when the accumulated amount of mercury was more than 30 μg Hg/g.
The most sensitive, namely earliest, symptom; the lessening of the head mainte-nance on horizontal position on being hung with the tail was noticed at a brain con-centration of 10 μg Hg/g.
The lowest daily dose group of 10 μg Hg/g of diet did not show the loss of body weight and neurological symptoms during the observation period up to the 41st day of mercury feeding.