Biomarkers of Certain Environmental Neurotoxicants: An Overview
András Papp, Andrea Szabó, Zsuzsanna Lengyel, and László Nagymajtényi
Department of Public Health, University of Szeged Faculty of Medicine, Szeged, Hungary
Corresponding author: András Papp
Department of Public Health
University of Szeged Faculty of Medicine
Dóm tér 10
H-6720 Szeged, Hungary
Telephone: +36-62-545-119
Fax number: +36-62-545-120
E-mail: ppp@puhe.szote.u-szeged.hu
CEJOEM 2005, Vol.11. No.2.: 135–143
Key words:
Biomarker, neurotoxicity, xenobiotic, insecticide, heavy metal
Abstract:
Environmental pollution led to the presence of various toxicants in the air, water, soil, food, etc.
The resulting exposure of the population seldom causes overt symptoms so that the need for prevention of
long-term damages is not always obvious. There are several groups of pollutants, which, like certain pesticides
and heavy metals, attack the nervous system, thereby endangering the most valuable human resource. The effects
of external agents on an organism, organ, or biological function can, theoretically, be detected by means of
biomarkers, measurable parameters indicating internal exposure by a substance, its effect on organs or
functions, or the susceptibility of the organism in question against the substance. In this paper, existing
and proposed chemical-biochemical markers of certain neurotoxic pollutants are reviewed and the possibilities
of developing neuro-functional markers discussed.
Received: 10 February 2005
Accepted: 24 May 2005
| Back |