Fair P H, Balthrop J E, Braddon-Galloway S
Neurotoxicology. 1987 Summer;8(2):281-9.
Intracerebral injection of methylmercury (CH3Hg) into the mouse brain resulted in significant weight loss and the appearance of characteristic neurological disturbances associated with CH3Hg intoxication. Neurological effects appeared dependent upon a minimum injected dose of 16 micrograms of CH3Hg corresponding to a CH3Hg concentration in the brain of 32 micrograms/g. Methylmercury was rapidly eliminated from the brain resulting in 40% and 5% remaining in the brain at 10 min and 7 days, respectively. The half-lives of CH3Hg in the tissues/organs were relatively short, ranging from 1.6 days for the cerebellum to 9.9 days for the liver and intestine. At the 10 min interval following injection, 22% of the injected 203Hg was found in the red blood cells which declined to 3% at the end of 7 days. The kidney concentration of 203Hg rapidly increased to 8% of the injected dose at 4 hr and remained at 5% of the body CH3Hg burden after 8 hr. The rapid elimination of 203Hg from the brain following intracerebral injection indicates that the blood brain barrier does not play a significant role in the retention of CH3Hg.
