Effects of Mercury Exposure on Neurodegenerative Diseases: Traditional Review

Abstract

Due to environmental pollution, humans are exposed to various heavy metals, including mercury, in their daily lives. Mercury is common in nature and is used in thermometers, barometers, dental fillings. It is a toxic heavy metal and it exists in three different forms which has toxic effects through different mechanisms. Exposure to mercury causes degradation of proteins, increase in reactive oxygen species and enzyme inhibition. Neurodegenerative disorders are suggested to occur due to defective protein degradation and aggregation, mitochondrial dysfunction related to oxidative stress and free radical formation, and metal toxicity. There are various evidences that mercury and compounds cause neurodegenerative diseases. Because of mercury exposure, toxic effects such as DNA fragmentation and deterioration of the integrity of neurons can be observed. Severe damage to neurons results in neuronal loss, while neuronal loss makes it inevitable to observe neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we summarized the studies about Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and multiple sclerosis, which are the main neurodegenerative diseases linked to mercury exposure. Studies showed that mercury exposure may be associated with all neurodegenerative diseases, especially Alzheimer’s disease. In summary, it can be stated that mercury may be associated with neurodegeneration and related pathological conditions.

Keywords

• Mercury
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Neurodegenerative diseases
• Neurodegeneration

Supporting Institution

Yoktur

Ethical Statement

Etik kurul beyanı bu yayın için gerekmemektedir.

Thanks

Yoktur

Cıva Maruziyetinin Nörodejeneratif Hastalıklar Üzerindeki Etkisi: Geleneksel Derleme

Abstract

Çevre kirliliği nedeniyle insanlar günlük yaşamlarında cıva da dahil olmak üzere çeşitli ağır metallere maruz kalmaktadır. Cıva doğada yaygın olarak bulunur ve termometrelerde, barometrelerde, diş dolgularında kullanılır. Toksik bir ağır metaldir ve farklı mekanizmalarla toksik etkileri olan üç farklı formda bulunur. Cıvaya maruz kalınması proteinlerin yapısında bozulma, reaktif oksijen türlerinde artma ve enzim inhibisyonu gibi çeşitli toksik etkilere yol açar. Nörodejeneratif bozuklukların, kusurlu protein yıkımı ve agregasyonu, oksidatif stres ve serbest radikal oluşumu ile ilgili mitokondriyal işlev bozukluğu ve metal toksisitesi nedeniyle ortaya çıktığı ileri sürülmektedir. Cıva ve bileşiklerinin nörodejeneratif hastalıklara neden olduğuna dair çeşitli kanıtlar vardır. Cıva maruziyeti nedeniyle DNA parçalanması ve nöronların bütünlüğünün bozulması gibi toksik etkiler gözlenebilir. Nöronların ciddi şekilde hasar görmesi nöronal kayıplara neden olurken, nöronal kayıplar nörodejeneratif hastalıkların görülmesini kaçınılmaz kılmaktadır. Bu derlemede, başlıca nörodejeneratif hastalıklardan Alzheimer hastalığı, Parkinson hastalığı, amyotrofik lateral skleroz ve multipl skleroz hastalıklarının cıva maruziyeti ile ilişkili olup olmadığı konusunda yapılan araştırmalar özetlenmiştir. Çalışmalar, cıva maruziyetinin başta Alzheimer hastalığı olmak üzere tüm nörodejeneratif hastalıklarla ilişkili olabileceğini göstermiştir. Özetle, cıvanın nörodejenerasyon ve buna bağlı patolojik durumlar ile ilişkili olabileceği ifade edilebilir.

Keywords

• cıva
• Alzheimer hastalığı
• Nörodejeneratif hastalıklar
• Nörodejenerasyon

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