Modification of the neurotoxic effects of methyl mercury by selenium

Abstract

This study with cats not only indicates that dietary selenium is effective in the reduction of methyl mercury toxicity, but also suggests that the mercury/selenium ratio in food or animal tissues, particularly the brain, may be a more accurate references index than the mercury level alone in relation to mercury toxicity. Moreover, since many marine organisms tend to accumulate selenium with mercury in an approximately 1:1 ratio, it becomes important to be aware of the fact that mercury in marine fish may have a less toxic potential than mercury in fish from polluted fresh water containing a similar amount of mercury.