Compositional changes in brain lipids, especially cerebroside and gangliosides, of rats treated with methylmercury chloride.

Rats were orally given 4 mg of methylmercury chloride per kg per day up to 14 days, and killed at 4-day or arbitrary intervals. Parietal gray matter and cerebellum were taken for lipid analyses. The ganglioside content increased during the early stage before the manifestation of clinical symptoms. After the onset of clinical signs, the total lipid concentration was elevated, and especially the levels of phosphatidylethanolamine and cerebroside were increased. The ganglioside distribution patterns were also altered in the late stage, showing decreased proportion of GD1a and increased percentages of GD1b and GQ1b.