Neurobehavioral effects of mercury, lead, and selenium co-exposure in the Brazilian amazon: Insights from bayesian mixture modeling and SELENOP genetic variation.

Chronic mercury (Hg) exposure remains a major health concern in the Amazon. Exposure to Hg, Pb, Se, and the polymorphism of the SELENOP rs7579 gene was assessed in 494 adults from the Amazon. The BKMR method was applied, and the concentrations were 22 µg/L for Hg, 37 µg/L for Pb, and 171 µg/L for Se. Hg exposure was associated with numbness in the feet (OR = 1.38) and hands (OR = 1.37). The rs7579 polymorphism of the SELENOP gene (GA+AA) was associated with sleep disorders (OR = 1.53). BKMR analysis revealed that Hg was the main causative factor of neurobehavioral symptoms, with low inclusion probabilities for Pb, Se, and the SELENOP variant. No protective effect against Hg-induced neurobehavioral symptoms was observed. The rs7579 variant of the SELENOP gene was independently associated with sleep disorders. Chronic Hg exposure was associated with peripheral neuropathy, and SELENOP genetic variation influenced sleep disorders independently.