Chronic Low-Level mercury exposure and neuropsychological functioning

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Abstract
To measure the effects of chronic low-level exposure to inorganic mercury, the neuropsychological performances of 13 female dental auxiliary workers with elevate head mercury levels (as measured by an X-ray fluorescence technique) were compared with 13 workers with no measurable mercury levels. Worker with elevated mercury levels scored significantly less well on the Recurrent Figures, and SCL-90-R, but not on the WAIS, Rey''s AVL, PASAT, BGT, Grooved Pegboard, and Finger Tapping tests. Chronic subtoxic levels of inorganic mercury appear to produce mild changes in short-term nonverbal recall and heightened distress generally, and particularly in categories of obsessive compulsion, anxiety and psychoticism, without alterations in general intellectual functioning, attention, verbal recall, and motor skills.