Elemental imaging shows mercury in cells of the human lateral and medial geniculate nuclei.

Pamphlett, R; Kum Jew, S; Doble, PA; Bishop, DP

Elemental imaging shows mercury in cells of the human lateral and medial geniculate nuclei.

Pamphlett, R Kum Jew, S Doble, PA Bishop, DP

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Publisher:: PUBLIC LIBRARY SCIENCE
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: PloS one, 2020, 15, (4)
Issue Date:: 2020-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Pamphlett, R
dc.contributor.author	Kum Jew, S
dc.contributor.author	Doble, PA
dc.contributor.author	Bishop, DP
dc.date.accessioned	2020-11-20T04:51:28Z
dc.date.available	2020-03-26
dc.date.available	2020-11-20T04:51:28Z
dc.date.issued	2020-01
dc.identifier.citation	PloS one, 2020, 15, (4)
dc.identifier.issn	1932-6203
dc.identifier.issn	1932-6203
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/144194
dc.description.abstract	OBJECTIVE:Interference with the transmission of sensory signals along visual and auditory pathways has been implicated in the pathogenesis of hallucinations. The relay centres for vision (the lateral geniculate nucleus) and hearing (the medial geniculate nucleus) appear to be susceptible to the uptake of circulating mercury. We therefore investigated the distribution of mercury in cells of both these geniculate nuclei. MATERIALS AND METHODS:Paraffin-embedded tissue sections containing the lateral geniculate nucleus were obtained from 50 adults (age range 20-104 years) who at autopsy had a variety of clinicopathological conditions, including neurological and psychiatric disorders. The medial geniculate nucleus was present in seven sections. Sections were stained for mercury using autometallography. Laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry was used to confirm the presence of mercury. RESULTS:Ten people had mercury in cells of the lateral geniculate nucleus, and in the medial geniculate nucleus of three of these. Medical diagnoses in these individuals were: none (3), Parkinson disease (3), and one each of depression, bipolar disorder, multiple sclerosis, and mercury self-injection. Mercury was distributed in different groups of geniculate capillary endothelial cells, neurons, oligodendrocytes, and astrocytes. Mass spectrometry confirmed the presence of mercury. CONCLUSION:Mercury is present in different combinations of cell types in the lateral and medial geniculate nuclei in a proportion of people from varied backgrounds. This raises the possibility that mercury-induced impairment of the function of the geniculate nuclei could play a part in the genesis of visual and auditory hallucinations. Although these findings do not provide a direct link between mercury in geniculate cells and hallucinations, they suggest that further investigations into the possibility of toxicant-induced hallucinations are warranted.
dc.format	Electronic-eCollection
dc.language	eng
dc.publisher	PUBLIC LIBRARY SCIENCE
dc.relation	http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP170100036
dc.relation	http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DE180100194
dc.relation	http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP190102361
dc.relation	US Department of Health and Human ServicesR21AR072950
dc.relation.ispartof	PloS one
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1371/journal.pone.0231870
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject.classification	General Science & Technology
dc.subject.mesh	Geniculate Bodies
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Mercury
dc.subject.mesh	Adult
dc.subject.mesh	Aged
dc.subject.mesh	Aged, 80 and over
dc.subject.mesh	Middle Aged
dc.subject.mesh	Female
dc.subject.mesh	Male
dc.subject.mesh	Young Adult
dc.subject.mesh	Geniculate Bodies
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Mercury
dc.subject.mesh	Adult
dc.subject.mesh	Aged
dc.subject.mesh	Aged, 80 and over
dc.subject.mesh	Middle Aged
dc.subject.mesh	Female
dc.subject.mesh	Male
dc.subject.mesh	Young Adult
dc.subject.mesh	Adult
dc.subject.mesh	Aged
dc.subject.mesh	Aged, 80 and over
dc.subject.mesh	Female
dc.subject.mesh	Geniculate Bodies
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Male
dc.subject.mesh	Mercury
dc.subject.mesh	Middle Aged
dc.subject.mesh	Young Adult
dc.title	Elemental imaging shows mercury in cells of the human lateral and medial geniculate nuclei.
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	15
utslib.location.activity	United States
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science/School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CFS - Centre for Forensic Science
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
pubs.consider-herdc	false
dc.date.updated	2020-11-20T04:51:11Z
pubs.issue	4
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	15
utslib.citation.issue	4

Abstract:

OBJECTIVE:Interference with the transmission of sensory signals along visual and auditory pathways has been implicated in the pathogenesis of hallucinations. The relay centres for vision (the lateral geniculate nucleus) and hearing (the medial geniculate nucleus) appear to be susceptible to the uptake of circulating mercury. We therefore investigated the distribution of mercury in cells of both these geniculate nuclei. MATERIALS AND METHODS:Paraffin-embedded tissue sections containing the lateral geniculate nucleus were obtained from 50 adults (age range 20-104 years) who at autopsy had a variety of clinicopathological conditions, including neurological and psychiatric disorders. The medial geniculate nucleus was present in seven sections. Sections were stained for mercury using autometallography. Laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry was used to confirm the presence of mercury. RESULTS:Ten people had mercury in cells of the lateral geniculate nucleus, and in the medial geniculate nucleus of three of these. Medical diagnoses in these individuals were: none (3), Parkinson disease (3), and one each of depression, bipolar disorder, multiple sclerosis, and mercury self-injection. Mercury was distributed in different groups of geniculate capillary endothelial cells, neurons, oligodendrocytes, and astrocytes. Mass spectrometry confirmed the presence of mercury. CONCLUSION:Mercury is present in different combinations of cell types in the lateral and medial geniculate nuclei in a proportion of people from varied backgrounds. This raises the possibility that mercury-induced impairment of the function of the geniculate nuclei could play a part in the genesis of visual and auditory hallucinations. Although these findings do not provide a direct link between mercury in geniculate cells and hallucinations, they suggest that further investigations into the possibility of toxicant-induced hallucinations are warranted.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/144194