Methyl Mercury Effects on Adolescent Development

描述(由申请人提供)：本申请是对项目#2-R01 ES008442-05的一个为期三年的竞争性补充，题为甲基汞对青少年发育的影响，正在塞舌尔测试假设，即低剂量甲基汞暴露将在青春期出现不利的神经发育后果，表明潜在的或延迟的甲基汞神经毒性。这一补充资料将提供一个独特的机会，来研究与原始拨款中未包括的甲基汞暴露相关的争议问题(听觉功能的电生理测试，包括脑干听觉诱发电位和诱发耳声发射，以及心脏自主神经功能)。这些研究没有包括在最初的申请中，因为在提交RO1时没有足够的证据证明它们被包括在内。这些情况已经改变；需要补充资金来探讨这些问题。电生理终点将被添加到最初的R01所遵循的方案中，该方案涉及主要研究队列(n=779)，自1989-1990年出生以来一直遵循该方案。该补充项目可能提供有关以前从未对因食用鱼类而暴露于甲基汞的儿童人口的功能进行评估的关键信息。许多证据支持MHG对脑干、听觉和心血管自主神经功能的不利影响，这些证据来自对母亲在怀孕期间食用鲸鱼肉和鲸脂的儿童的研究。鲸鱼含有高水平的多氯联苯，这可能是导致明显的神经毒性的原因。鱼的微量营养素含量很高，包括多不饱和脂肪酸，这与增强脑干听觉和心血管自主神经功能有关。这项拟议的研究将检验一种假设，即母亲在怀孕期间食用高含量鱼类饮食的孩子的脑干、听觉和心血管自主神经结果将不同于之前对鲸鱼消费群体的研究报告。这可能是在塞舍尔儿童中进行此类评估的最后机会，他们现在正处于青春期后期。公共卫生意义。怀孕期间食用鱼类可能会对胎儿暴露于甲基汞构成风险，并因其多种微量营养素而受益。这项研究将为公共卫生政策提供信息，说明在怀孕期间食用鱼类与心血管健康和认知信息处理之间的风险和好处的平衡。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This application is for a three-year competing supplement to Project #2-R01 ES008442-05 entitled Methyl Mercury Effects on Adolescent Development, underway in the Seychelles testing the hypothesis that adverse neurodevelopmental consequences of low-dose MeHg exposure will emerge in adolescence indicating latent or delayed MeHg neurotoxicity. This supplement will provide a unique opportunity to examine controversial issues related to MeHg exposure not included in the original grant (electrophysiological testing of auditory function, including brain stem auditory evoked potentials and evoked otoacoustic emissions, and cardiac autonomic function). These studies were not included in the original application because insufficient evidence existed at the time of the RO1 submission to justify their inclusion. Those circumstances have changed; supplemental funds are required to explore these issues. The electrophysiological endpoints will be added to the protocol being followed for the original R01 involving the Main Study cohort (n=779) which has been followed continuously since their births in 1989-1990. The supplemental project may provide crucial information about functions never before assessed in a population of children exposed to MeHg from fish consumption. Much of the evidence supporting adverse influences of MHg on brainstem auditory and cardiovascular autonomic functions is derived from studies of children whose mothers consumed whalemeat and whale blubber during pregnancy. Whales contain high levels of PCBs that could have caused the apparent neurotoxicity. Fish are high in micronutrients including PUFAs, which have been associated with enhanced brainstem auditory and cardiovascular autonomic functions. The proposed study will test the hypothesis that the brainstem auditory and cardiovascular autonomic outcomes in children whose mothers consumed a diet high in fish during pregnancy will be different than previous studies of whale-consuming populations have reported. This may be the last chance to conduct such assessments among the Seychellois children who are now reaching late adolescence. Public Health Significance. Fish consumption during pregnancy may pose a risk from fetal exposure to MeHg and a benefit stemming from its many micronutrients. This study will inform public health policy concerning the balance of risks and benefits of consuming fish during pregnancy with respect to cardiovascular health and cognitive information processing.