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A Comparison of Mercury Exposure from Seafood Consumption and Dental Amalgam Fillings in People with and without Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS): An International Online Case-Control Study

Author

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  • Jane A. Parkin Kullmann

    (The Stacey Motor Neuron Disease Laboratory, Discipline of Pathology, Brain and Mind Centre, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia)

  • Roger Pamphlett

    (The Stacey Motor Neuron Disease Laboratory, Discipline of Pathology, Brain and Mind Centre, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia
    Department of Neuropathology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia)

Abstract

Exposures to toxic metals such as mercury have been suggested to be risk factors for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Human intake of mercury commonly occurs via consumption of seafood or from mercury-containing amalgam dental restorations (‘mercury fillings’). We therefore compared mercury exposures from these sources in 401 ALS and 452 non-ALS respondents, using an internationally-available online questionnaire that asked respondents how often they ate seafood and what their favourite types of seafoods were. Respondents were also asked to record numbers of current or former mercury fillings. ALS and non-ALS respondents did not differ in their frequency of seafood consumption or in monthly mercury intake from favourite seafoods. Both groups had similar numbers of current, as well as former, mercury fillings. In conclusion, this study found no evidence that mercury exposure from eating seafood, or from mercury dental fillings, was associated with the risk of developing ALS. Therefore, if mercury does play a role in the pathogenesis of ALS, other sources of exposure to mercury in the environment or workplace need to be considered. Alternatively, a susceptibility to mercury toxicity in ALS, such as genetic or epigenetic variations, multiple toxic metal interactions, or selenium deficiency, may be present.

Suggested Citation

  • Jane A. Parkin Kullmann & Roger Pamphlett, 2018. "A Comparison of Mercury Exposure from Seafood Consumption and Dental Amalgam Fillings in People with and without Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS): An International Online Case-Control Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-14, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:15:y:2018:i:12:p:2874-:d:190745
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Germán Sánchez-Díaz & Francisco Escobar & Hannah Badland & Greta Arias-Merino & Manuel Posada de la Paz & Verónica Alonso-Ferreira, 2018. "Geographic Analysis of Motor Neuron Disease Mortality and Heavy Metals Released to Rivers in Spain," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-10, November.
    2. Carl H. Lamborg & Chad R. Hammerschmidt & Katlin L. Bowman & Gretchen J. Swarr & Kathleen M. Munson & Daniel C. Ohnemus & Phoebe J. Lam & Lars-Eric Heimbürger & Micha J. A. Rijkenberg & Mak A. Saito, 2014. "A global ocean inventory of anthropogenic mercury based on water column measurements," Nature, Nature, vol. 512(7512), pages 65-68, August.
    3. Lars-Gunnar Gunnarsson & Lennart Bodin, 2018. "Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Occupational Exposures: A Systematic Literature Review and Meta-Analyses," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-21, October.
    4. Virginia Andreoli & Francesca Sprovieri, 2017. "Genetic Aspects of Susceptibility to Mercury Toxicity: An Overview," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-25, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Roger Pamphlett & Andrew J. Colebatch & Philip A. Doble & David P. Bishop, 2020. "Mercury in Pancreatic Cells of People with and without Pancreatic Cancer," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(23), pages 1-16, December.
    2. Hector Jirau-Colón & Leonardo González-Parrilla & Jorge Martinez-Jiménez & Waldemar Adam & Braulio Jiménez-Velez, 2019. "Rethinking the Dental Amalgam Dilemma: An Integrated Toxicological Approach," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(6), pages 1-13, March.
    3. Hannah I. Hoffman & Walter G. Bradley & Celia Y. Chen & Erik P. Pioro & Elijah W. Stommel & Angeline S. Andrew, 2021. "Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Risk, Family Income, and Fish Consumption Estimates of Mercury and Omega-3 PUFAs in the United States," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-10, April.

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