Analysis of elements associated with balance impairment

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K21708
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 58:Society medicine, nursing, and related fields
• Research Institution: Nagoya University
• Principal Investigator: Ohgami Nobutaka 名古屋大学, 医学系研究科, 准教授 (80424919)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 橋本 和宜 名城大学, 薬学部, 助教 (10816242) ; 杉本 賢文 名古屋大学, 医学部附属病院, 助教 (30759668)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-07-30 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 平衡感覚障害 / 有害元素 / 前庭 / 内耳

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study investigated toxic elements that induce balance impairments in humans and mice. Associations of scores of posturography and salivary elements were determined in healthy subjects. There was a tendency of correlation between element X level and scores of posturography were correlated. Future study is needed to investigate the association of balance with element X levels contained in nails and hair samples, which are known as an index of chronic exposure status. In an experimental study, mice were exposed to element A in drinking water and balance was evaluated by rotarod. No significant difference was observed between the exposed group and the non-exposed group. Further study is needed to evaluate balance in exposed mice with other evaluations.

Free Research Field

環境労働衛生学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

平衡感覚障害は転倒転落事故に直結する為、危険因子の特定は急務である。これまでに我々はヒ素などの有害元素の飲水曝露は難聴 (内耳のコルチ器) のリスクを増大させる事を報告してきたが、平衡感覚 (内耳の前庭) への影響は全く分かっていない。本研究により、ヒトで平衡感覚と関連する元素が明らかになりつつあるので、今後、動物実験でメカニズムを解析し予防法を開発する事により、社会的に意義のある成果が得られる事が期待される。