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Total blood mercury levels and depression among adults in the United States: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005-2008
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Total blood mercury levels and depression among adults in the United States: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005-2008

Tsz Hin H Ng, Jana M Mossey and Brian K Lee
PloS one, v 8(11), pp e79339-e79339
2013
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0079339
PMID: 24244482
url
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0079339View
Published, Version of Record (VoR)CC BY V4.0,  Open

Abstract

Cross-Sectional Studies Depression - epidemiology Depression - etiology Female Humans Male Mercury - blood Nutrition Surveys Odds Ratio Risk Factors Surveys and Questionnaires United States - epidemiology
Mercury is a neurotoxicant linked with psychiatric symptoms at high levels of exposure. However, it is unclear whether an association is present at the low exposure levels in the US adult population. Cross-sectional associations of total blood mercury and depression were assessed in 6,911 adults age ≥20 in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 2005-2008. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 was used to assess depression (high likelihood of a depressive spectrum disorder diagnosis; score 5-27). Unadjusted survey weighted logistic regression suggested that higher total blood mercury was associated with lower odds of depression (Odds Ratio  = 0.49, 95% Confidence Interval: 0.36-0.65, comparing the highest and lowest mercury quintiles). This association largely disappeared after adjustment for sociodemographic variables (income-poverty ratio, education, marital status). However, in age-stratified analyses, this inverse relationship remained in older adults (age ≥40) even after adjustment for sociodemographic variables. Simulation analyses adjusting for expected confounding effects of fish intake suggested that the inverse relationship among older adults may be plausibly attributed to residual confounding (Odds Ratio  = 0.75, 95% Confidence Interval: 0.50-1.12, comparing the highest and lowest mercury quintiles). Higher total blood mercury was not associated with increased odds of depression. The lower odds of depression in older adults with higher total blood mercury may be due to residual confounding.

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Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
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