Mercury and neurochemical biomarkers in multiple brain regions of five Arctic marine mammals
Mercury is a neurotoxic chemical that represents one of the greatest pollution threats to Arctic ecosystem health. Evaluating the direct neurotoxic effects of mercury in free ranging wildlife is challenging, necessitating the use of neurochemical biomarkers to assess potential sub-clinical neurologi...
Published in: | NeuroToxicology |
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2021
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Online Access: | https://pure.au.dk/portal/da/publications/mercury-and-neurochemical-biomarkers-in-multiple-brain-regions-of-five-arctic-marine-mammals(05511413-8238-42d9-b21a-a5e98b6773b5).html https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuro.2021.03.006 |
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ftuniaarhuspubl:oai:pure.atira.dk:publications/05511413-8238-42d9-b21a-a5e98b6773b5 2023-08-27T04:06:35+02:00 Mercury and neurochemical biomarkers in multiple brain regions of five Arctic marine mammals Desforges, J P Mikkelsen, B Dam, M Rigét, F Sveegaard, S Sonne, C Dietz, R Basu, N 2021-05 https://pure.au.dk/portal/da/publications/mercury-and-neurochemical-biomarkers-in-multiple-brain-regions-of-five-arctic-marine-mammals(05511413-8238-42d9-b21a-a5e98b6773b5).html https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuro.2021.03.006 eng eng info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess Desforges , J P , Mikkelsen , B , Dam , M , Rigét , F , Sveegaard , S , Sonne , C , Dietz , R & Basu , N 2021 , ' Mercury and neurochemical biomarkers in multiple brain regions of five Arctic marine mammals ' , NeuroToxicology , vol. 84 , pp. 136-145 . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuro.2021.03.006 Accumulation BEARS URSUS-MARITIMUS Biomarker CEREBRAL-CORTEX DIETARY MERCURY METHYLMERCURY EXPOSURE MONOAMINE-OXIDASE ACTIVITY Marine mammal Mercury NEUROTOXICITY RECEPTOR-BINDING SELENIUM WHALES DELPHINAPTERUS-LEUCAS WILD article 2021 ftuniaarhuspubl https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuro.2021.03.006 2023-08-09T22:58:15Z Mercury is a neurotoxic chemical that represents one of the greatest pollution threats to Arctic ecosystem health. Evaluating the direct neurotoxic effects of mercury in free ranging wildlife is challenging, necessitating the use of neurochemical biomarkers to assess potential sub-clinical neurological changes. The objective of this study was to characterize the distribution and speciation of mercury, as well as exposure-associated changes in neurochemistry, across multiple brain regions (n = 10) and marine mammal species (n = 5) that each occupy a trophic niche in the Arctic ecosystem. We found consistent species differences in mean brain and brain region-specific concentrations of total mercury (THg) and methyl mercury (MeHg), with higher concentrations in toothed whales (narwhal, pilot whales and harbour porpoise) compared to fur-bearing mammals (polar bear and ringed seal). Mean THg (μg/g dw) in decreasing rank order was: pilot whale (11.9) > narwhal (7.7) > harbour porpoise (3.6) > polar bear (0.6) > ringed seal (0.2). The higher THg concentrations in toothed whales was associated with a marked reduction in the percentage of MeHg (<40 %) compared to polar bears (>70 %) that had lower brain THg concentrations. This pattern in mercury concentration and speciation corresponded broadly to an overall higher number of mercury-associated neurochemical biomarker correlations in toothed whales. Of the 226 correlations between mercury and neurochemical biomarkers across brain regions, we found 60 (27 %) meaningful relationships (r>0.60 or p < 0.10). We add to the growing weight of evidence that wildlife accumulate mercury in their brains and demonstrate that there is variance in accumulation across species as well as across distinct brain regions, and that some of these exposures may be associated with sub-clinical changes in neurochemistry. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Arctic marine mammals Arctic Delphinapterus leucas Harbour porpoise narwhal* ringed seal toothed whales Ursus maritimus Aarhus University: Research Arctic NeuroToxicology 84 136 145 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Aarhus University: Research |
op_collection_id |
ftuniaarhuspubl |
language |
English |
topic |
Accumulation BEARS URSUS-MARITIMUS Biomarker CEREBRAL-CORTEX DIETARY MERCURY METHYLMERCURY EXPOSURE MONOAMINE-OXIDASE ACTIVITY Marine mammal Mercury NEUROTOXICITY RECEPTOR-BINDING SELENIUM WHALES DELPHINAPTERUS-LEUCAS WILD |
spellingShingle |
Accumulation BEARS URSUS-MARITIMUS Biomarker CEREBRAL-CORTEX DIETARY MERCURY METHYLMERCURY EXPOSURE MONOAMINE-OXIDASE ACTIVITY Marine mammal Mercury NEUROTOXICITY RECEPTOR-BINDING SELENIUM WHALES DELPHINAPTERUS-LEUCAS WILD Desforges, J P Mikkelsen, B Dam, M Rigét, F Sveegaard, S Sonne, C Dietz, R Basu, N Mercury and neurochemical biomarkers in multiple brain regions of five Arctic marine mammals |
topic_facet |
Accumulation BEARS URSUS-MARITIMUS Biomarker CEREBRAL-CORTEX DIETARY MERCURY METHYLMERCURY EXPOSURE MONOAMINE-OXIDASE ACTIVITY Marine mammal Mercury NEUROTOXICITY RECEPTOR-BINDING SELENIUM WHALES DELPHINAPTERUS-LEUCAS WILD |
description |
Mercury is a neurotoxic chemical that represents one of the greatest pollution threats to Arctic ecosystem health. Evaluating the direct neurotoxic effects of mercury in free ranging wildlife is challenging, necessitating the use of neurochemical biomarkers to assess potential sub-clinical neurological changes. The objective of this study was to characterize the distribution and speciation of mercury, as well as exposure-associated changes in neurochemistry, across multiple brain regions (n = 10) and marine mammal species (n = 5) that each occupy a trophic niche in the Arctic ecosystem. We found consistent species differences in mean brain and brain region-specific concentrations of total mercury (THg) and methyl mercury (MeHg), with higher concentrations in toothed whales (narwhal, pilot whales and harbour porpoise) compared to fur-bearing mammals (polar bear and ringed seal). Mean THg (μg/g dw) in decreasing rank order was: pilot whale (11.9) > narwhal (7.7) > harbour porpoise (3.6) > polar bear (0.6) > ringed seal (0.2). The higher THg concentrations in toothed whales was associated with a marked reduction in the percentage of MeHg (<40 %) compared to polar bears (>70 %) that had lower brain THg concentrations. This pattern in mercury concentration and speciation corresponded broadly to an overall higher number of mercury-associated neurochemical biomarker correlations in toothed whales. Of the 226 correlations between mercury and neurochemical biomarkers across brain regions, we found 60 (27 %) meaningful relationships (r>0.60 or p < 0.10). We add to the growing weight of evidence that wildlife accumulate mercury in their brains and demonstrate that there is variance in accumulation across species as well as across distinct brain regions, and that some of these exposures may be associated with sub-clinical changes in neurochemistry. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Desforges, J P Mikkelsen, B Dam, M Rigét, F Sveegaard, S Sonne, C Dietz, R Basu, N |
author_facet |
Desforges, J P Mikkelsen, B Dam, M Rigét, F Sveegaard, S Sonne, C Dietz, R Basu, N |
author_sort |
Desforges, J P |
title |
Mercury and neurochemical biomarkers in multiple brain regions of five Arctic marine mammals |
title_short |
Mercury and neurochemical biomarkers in multiple brain regions of five Arctic marine mammals |
title_full |
Mercury and neurochemical biomarkers in multiple brain regions of five Arctic marine mammals |
title_fullStr |
Mercury and neurochemical biomarkers in multiple brain regions of five Arctic marine mammals |
title_full_unstemmed |
Mercury and neurochemical biomarkers in multiple brain regions of five Arctic marine mammals |
title_sort |
mercury and neurochemical biomarkers in multiple brain regions of five arctic marine mammals |
publishDate |
2021 |
url |
https://pure.au.dk/portal/da/publications/mercury-and-neurochemical-biomarkers-in-multiple-brain-regions-of-five-arctic-marine-mammals(05511413-8238-42d9-b21a-a5e98b6773b5).html https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuro.2021.03.006 |
geographic |
Arctic |
geographic_facet |
Arctic |
genre |
Arctic Arctic marine mammals Arctic Delphinapterus leucas Harbour porpoise narwhal* ringed seal toothed whales Ursus maritimus |
genre_facet |
Arctic Arctic marine mammals Arctic Delphinapterus leucas Harbour porpoise narwhal* ringed seal toothed whales Ursus maritimus |
op_source |
Desforges , J P , Mikkelsen , B , Dam , M , Rigét , F , Sveegaard , S , Sonne , C , Dietz , R & Basu , N 2021 , ' Mercury and neurochemical biomarkers in multiple brain regions of five Arctic marine mammals ' , NeuroToxicology , vol. 84 , pp. 136-145 . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuro.2021.03.006 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuro.2021.03.006 |
container_title |
NeuroToxicology |
container_volume |
84 |
container_start_page |
136 |
op_container_end_page |
145 |
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1775347466014556160 |