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HEAVY METALS AS ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTANTS: EFFECTS ON THE NERVOUS SYSTEM AND MENTAL HEALTH (Review)

HEAVY METALS AS ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTANTS: EFFECTS ON THE NERVOUS SYSTEM AND MENTAL HEALTH (Review)

ISSN 2223-6775 Ukrainian journal of occupational health Vol.21, No 4, 2025

https://doi.org/10.33573/ujoh2025.04.348

HEAVY METALS AS ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTANTS: EFFECTS ON THE NERVOUS SYSTEM AND MENTAL HEALTH (Review)

Dmytrukha N.M., Gromovyi T.Yu., Bozhuk B.S., Piantkovska O.V.

Full article (PDF), UKR

  1. Introduction. The problem of contamination of industrial and environmental settings with heavy metals in Ukraine has acquired new ecological, medical, and social significance due to the active military actions of the Russian Federation, which create additional health risks for the population, particularly in combination with stress.

    Purpose of the study. To analyze and summarize data from international and domestic literature on the adverse effects of heavy metals on the nervous system and the mental health of the population.

    Materials and methods. An analytical review of scientific publications was conducted using the information databases PubMed, MEDLINE, Free Medical Journals, BioMed Central, and the V.I. Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine, as well as other Internet resources.

    Results. According to the results of international and domestic studies, heavy metals (Pb, Hg, Cd, Mn) are recognized neurotoxicants that readily cross the blood–brain barrier and accumulate in the brain. The main biological mechanisms of their neurotoxic effects include oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, neuroinflammation, and apoptosis of neuronal cells. Chronic exposure to heavy metals, due to their accumulation in the human body, may affect the synthesis of neurotransmitters, leading to impaired brain function and representing a risk factor for the development of mental disorders, including depression, anxiety, psychosis, cognitive impairment, sleep disorders, and suicidality.

    Conclusions. The established evidence of the negative effects of heavy metals – environmental and industrial pollutants – on the nervous system and, consequently, on mental health requires continuous monitoring of their levels in environmental media and in the population. It also necessitates the implementation of appropriate preventive and therapeutic measures aimed at preventing intoxication and reducing the risk of mental disorders.

    Keywords: heavy metals, neurotoxicity, mental health risks, mental disorders.

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