succimer and Fatigue

The present investigation was performed to determine the effect of 14-day oral administration of meso-2.3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) on the urinary mercury excretion and the potential reduction of blood and plasma mercury concentrations, and also to relate these effects to possible decrease of symptoms, allegedly associated with amalgam fillings. Twenty subjects, relating their symptoms to mercury from amalgam fillings, received 20 mg/kg DMSA or placebo for 14 days. Their symptoms and mood states were recorded during the study and at a check-up 3 months later. Interpretation was based on intra-individual differences. DMSA-treatment resulted in an average increase in urinary mercury excretion by 65% and a decrease in blood mercury levels of 0.04 microgram/L/day. At the check-up after 3 months, urinary mercury excretion had returned to the pre-treatment level. No treatment effect of DMSA was apparent on subjective symptoms and mood state. One statistically significant treatment effect was noted-a decrease in fatigue-inertia in the DMSA-group-but there was no demonstrable correlation with increased urinary excretion or decreased blood concentration of mercury. Three subjects showed hypersensitive reactions, probably DMSA-specific, at the end of the treatment period. This placebo-controlled study provides no scientific support for diagnostic or therapeutic administration of DMSA for symptoms allegedly associated with chronic mercury exposition from dental amalgam fillings.

Topics: Administration, Oral; Adult; Affect; Dental Amalgam; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Double-Blind Method; Fatigue; Female; Humans; Male; Mercury; Mercury Poisoning; Middle Aged; Personality Inventory; Regression Analysis; Succimer

Thoughts and moods are the result of biological processes; disordered thoughts and moods may be the result of disordered biological processes. As brain dysfunction can manifest with emotional symptoms or behavioral signs, the etiology of some mental health afflictions and some abnormal conduct is pathophysiological rather than pathopsychological. Various studies confirm that some chemical toxicants which modify brain physiology have the potential to affect mood, cognitive function, and to provoke socially undesirable outcomes. With pervasive concern about myriad chemical agents in the environment and resultant toxicant bioaccumulation, human exposure assessment has become a clinically relevant area of medical investigation. Adverse exposure and toxicant body burden should routinely be explored as an etiological determinant in assorted health afflictions including disordered thinking, moods, and behavior. The impact of toxicant bioaccumulation in a patient with neuropsychiatric symptoms is presented for consideration as an example of the potential benefit of recognizing and implementing exposure assessment.

Topics: Adult; Animals; Chelating Agents; Fatigue; Feeding Behavior; Forensic Psychiatry; Humans; Male; Mental Disorders; Mercury Poisoning; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders; Succimer; Tuna