Somatosensory Disturbance and Long‐Term Exposure to Methylmercury: A Comprehensive Review
- 1Tropical Medicine Center Federal University of Pará Belém Brazil
- 2Federal University of Pará Belém Brazil
Abstract
Chronic exposure to methylmercury remains a significant public health concern, particularly in populations with high fish consumption. Somatosensory disturbances are among the most frequently reported neurological manifestations, even at exposure levels below internationally established safety thresholds. This review aims to synthesize current evidence on somatosensory disturbances associated with long‐term methylmercury exposure in human populations. This comprehensive review findings from human studies investigating clinical, psychophysical, and neurophysiological aspects of somatosensory function in populations chronically exposed to methylmercury. Relevant literature was identified through searches in major scientific databases, and studies were selected based on their relevance to the topic. The reviewed studies consistently report distal, symmetrical somatosensory impairments, commonly described as a glove‐and‐stocking pattern. Psychophysical assessments demonstrate altered tactile, vibration, and thermal perception, while neurophysiological investigations reveal cortical and peripheral sensory dysfunctions. The evidence indicates that chronic methylmercury exposure is associated with clinically relevant somatosensory disturbances. These findings highlight the importance of incorporating somatosensory assessment into the clinical evaluation and surveillance of populations at risk.
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BibTeX
@article{aviz2026somatosensory,
title = {{Somatosensory Disturbance and Long‐Term Exposure to Methylmercury: A Comprehensive Review}},
author = {Leonardo Breno do Nascimento de Aviz and Carolina Fonte de Aviz and Fabiana Costa Cardoso and Laura dos Santos Barros and Raphaely Cristiny Sanches Progênio and Mariângela Moreno Domingues and José Maria Farah Costa Júnior and Saul Rassy Carneiro and Carlos Araújo da Costa and Maria da Conceição Nascimento Pinheiro},
journal = {Journal of Applied Toxicology},
year = {2026},
month = may,
doi = {10.1002/jat.70256},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/jat.70256},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Somatosensory Disturbance and Long‐Term Exposure to Methylmercury: A Comprehensive Review
AU - Leonardo Breno do Nascimento de Aviz
AU - Carolina Fonte de Aviz
AU - Fabiana Costa Cardoso
AU - Laura dos Santos Barros
AU - Raphaely Cristiny Sanches Progênio
AU - Mariângela Moreno Domingues
AU - José Maria Farah Costa Júnior
AU - Saul Rassy Carneiro
AU - Carlos Araújo da Costa
AU - Maria da Conceição Nascimento Pinheiro
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/05/29
JO - Journal of Applied Toxicology
DO - 10.1002/jat.70256
UR - https://doi.org/10.1002/jat.70256
AB - Chronic exposure to methylmercury remains a significant public health concern, particularly in populations with high fish consumption. Somatosensory disturbances are among the most frequently reported neurological manifestations, even at exposure levels below internationally established safety thresholds. This review aims to synthesize current evidence on somatosensory disturbances associated with long‐term methylmercury exposure in human populations. This comprehensive review findings from human studies investigating clinical, psychophysical, and neurophysiological aspects of somatosensory function in populations chronically exposed to methylmercury. Relevant literature was identified through searches in major scientific databases, and studies were selected based on their relevance to the topic. The reviewed studies consistently report distal, symmetrical somatosensory impairments, commonly described as a glove‐and‐stocking pattern. Psychophysical assessments demonstrate altered tactile, vibration, and thermal perception, while neurophysiological investigations reveal cortical and peripheral sensory dysfunctions. The evidence indicates that chronic methylmercury exposure is associated with clinically relevant somatosensory disturbances. These findings highlight the importance of incorporating somatosensory assessment into the clinical evaluation and surveillance of populations at risk.
SN - 0260-437X
SN - 1099-1263
ER -