Yorifuji Takashi, Kato Tsuguhiko, Kado Yoko, Tokinobu Akiko, Yamakawa Michiyo, Tsuda Toshihide, Sanada Satoshi
a Department of Human Ecology , Okayama University Graduate School of Environmental and Life Science , Okayama , Japan.
Arch Environ Occup Health. 2015;70(5):297-302. doi: 10.1080/19338244.2014.904268.
A large-scale food poisoning caused by methylmercury was identified in Minamata, Japan, in the 1950s. The severe intrauterine exposure cases are well known, although the possible impact of low-to-moderate methylmercury exposure in utero are rarely investigated. We examined neurocognitive functions among 22 participants in Minamata, mainly using an intelligence quotient test (Wechsler Adults Intelligent Scale III), in 2012/2013. The participants tended to score low on the Index score of processing speed (PS) relative to full-scale IQ, and discrepancies between PS and other scores within each participant were observed. The lower score on PS was due to deficits in digit symbol-coding and symbol search and was associated with methylmercury concentration in umbilical cords. The residents who experienced low-to-moderate methylmercury exposure including prenatal one in Minamata manifested deficits in their cognitive functions, processing speed in particular.
20世纪50年代，日本水俣市确认发生了由甲基汞引起的大规模食物中毒事件。严重的宫内暴露病例广为人知，尽管子宫内低至中度甲基汞暴露的潜在影响很少被研究。2012年/2013年，我们对水俣市的22名参与者进行了神经认知功能检测，主要采用智商测试（韦氏成人智力量表第三版）。参与者在加工速度（PS）指数得分相对于全量表智商往往较低，且观察到每个参与者的PS得分与其他得分之间存在差异。PS得分较低是由于数字符号编码和符号搜索方面的缺陷，并且与脐带中的甲基汞浓度有关。在水俣市经历过低至中度甲基汞暴露（包括产前暴露）的居民表现出认知功能缺陷，尤其是加工速度方面。
