Figure 1:

Potential impacts of developmental MeHg exposures on dopamine neurotransmission. The developing brain of fetus is susceptible to environmental exposure to neurotoxins. The primary pathway for dopamine synthesis involves several enzymes including TH and DDC. For the dopamine neurotransmission, MeHg exposure can alter the epigenetic regulation of the TH gene and potentiate the effect of dopamine neurotransmission agonists such as amphetamine [55–58]. TH, tyrosine hydroxylase; L-DOPA, L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine; DDC, DOPA decarboxylase; VMAT, vesicular monoamine transporter 2; DAT, dopamine transporter