Mechanisms of the extrapyramidal symptoms caused by methylmercury chloride

水螅病症状严重的患者，在临床观察到锥体外系征的情况下，锥体外束核团出现病理变化。此外，全脑严重受损时，锥体外束核团也有病理改变。甲基汞处理的小鼠表现出运动过度活跃。病理组织学检查显示，甲基汞染毒小鼠双侧尾壳核神经元数量明显减少，星形胶质细胞增生。

The patients who had severe symptom of Minamata disease and, in the case that an extrapyramidal sign was observed clinically, showed pathological changes in the extrapyramidal tract nuclei. In addition, pathological changes were observed in the extrapyramidal tract nuclei in the case that whole brain was damaged severely. The methylmercury treated mice displayed locomotor hyperactivity. Histopathological examination showed significant decrease in the number of neurons with proliferation of astroglias in the bilateral caudate putamen in the methylmercury treated mice.