Abstract
Arsenic is a metalloid that occurs naturally in the environment. From ancient times it has been popular as a homicidal and/or suicidal poison. Arsenic compounds are known to cause several health hazards; however, the developing brain seems to be most vulnerable. Arsenic causes psychomotor, verbal learning, and memory deficits in children. Laboratory studies investigated the mechanism of arsenic-induced neuronal and behavioral perturbations, which suggested the association of neurotransmitter systems and oxidative stress in arsenic-induced neurotoxic and behavioral effects. While the use of chelating agents in treating heavy metal toxicity is common, laboratory studies using metal chelators and anti-oxidants showed promising results suggesting this combination is an effective strategy for the retrieval of arsenic-induced toxicity. The supplementation of endogenous metals calcium and zinc along with monoisoamyl dimercaptosuccinic acid (MiADMSA), a thiol chelator, showed greater protective efficacy against arsenic-induced neurotoxicity and behavioral outcomes when compared to individual or any of the two agents.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Handbook of Arsenic Toxicology |
| Publisher | Elsevier Inc. |
| Pages | 443-457 |
| Number of pages | 15 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 9780124199552 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9780124186880 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 8 Jan 2015 |
Keywords
- Arsenic
- Behavior
- Development
- Monoisoamyl dimercaptosuccinic acid
- Neurotransmitters