A Case of Mercury Intoxication Presenting Cerebellar Ataxia

ABSTRACT

Mercury poisoning affects various organs including peripheral and central nervous systems, especially cerebellum. We report a case of mercury intoxication presenting cerebellar ataxia. From several days after exposure to mercury vapor, scanning speech, head titubation, bilateral limb and truncal ataxia developed and progressed slowly. On admission, brain MRI did not show remarkable change. However, nine months later, atrophic changes in both cerebellar hemispheres on follow-up brain MRI and perfusion defects in same areas on brain SPECT were found.