Subclinical effects of exposure to inorganic mercury revealed by somatosensory-evoked potentials.

This study examined the validity of evoked somatosensory potentials as a measure of subclinical neurological damage to workers chronically exposed to nonorganic mercury. In this study potentials were recorded along the somatosensory pathway from the periphery to the primary cortex in response to electrical and mechanical stimuli. The findings of this study indicate that such workers exhibit subclinical damage which manifested in a delay in nerve ending conduction times at the periphery, and an acceleration of the conduction from brain stem to cortex. These findings support the suggestion that evoked potentials may be a sensitive and reliable measure in the detection of subclinical neuropathic phenomena. They may consequently be utilized as an efficient early warning system in the prevention of clinical symptoms.