Great Lakes Regional Office, International Joint Commission, 8th Floor, 100 Ouellette Avenue, Windsor, Ont., N9A 6T3 Canada. gilbertsonm@windsor.ijc.org
Perinatal exposure to methylmercury is known to result in severe neurological effects on the developing fetus and infant, including cerebral palsy, mental retardation, and seizures. Males are more susceptible than females to neurological damage from perinatal methylmercury exposures. Preliminary analyses of data and statistics for the hospitalization rates of males for cerebral palsy in the 17 Canadian Areas of Concern in the Great Lakes basin indicate a possible geographic association with locations with elevated mercury from natural or industrial sources.