A Comparison of Mercury Exposure from Seafood Consumption and Dental Amalgam Fillings in People with and without Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS): An International Online Case-Control Study

Jane A. Parkin Kullmann and Roger Pamphlett
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Jane A. Parkin Kullmann: The Stacey Motor Neuron Disease Laboratory, Discipline of Pathology, Brain and Mind Centre, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia
Roger Pamphlett: The Stacey Motor Neuron Disease Laboratory, Discipline of Pathology, Brain and Mind Centre, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia

IJERPH, 2018, vol. 15, issue 12, 1-14

Abstract: Exposures to toxic metals such as mercury have been suggested to be risk factors for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Human intake of mercury commonly occurs via consumption of seafood or from mercury-containing amalgam dental restorations (‘mercury fillings’). We therefore compared mercury exposures from these sources in 401 ALS and 452 non-ALS respondents, using an internationally-available online questionnaire that asked respondents how often they ate seafood and what their favourite types of seafoods were. Respondents were also asked to record numbers of current or former mercury fillings. ALS and non-ALS respondents did not differ in their frequency of seafood consumption or in monthly mercury intake from favourite seafoods. Both groups had similar numbers of current, as well as former, mercury fillings. In conclusion, this study found no evidence that mercury exposure from eating seafood, or from mercury dental fillings, was associated with the risk of developing ALS. Therefore, if mercury does play a role in the pathogenesis of ALS, other sources of exposure to mercury in the environment or workplace need to be considered. Alternatively, a susceptibility to mercury toxicity in ALS, such as genetic or epigenetic variations, multiple toxic metal interactions, or selenium deficiency, may be present.

Keywords: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; ALS; motor neuron disease; mercury; seafood; fish consumption; dental amalgam filling; case-control study; online questionnaire; international study (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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