Abstract
Cadmium, a toxic heavy metal, has gained significant attention due to its detrimental effects on the nervous system. This book chapter provides a comprehensive overview of cadmium's neurotoxic effects, highlighting the importance of studying its impact on neurohealth. The chapter begins with an introduction that outlines cadmium as a toxic heavy metal and emphasizes the need to understand its neurotoxic effects. It then delves into the sources and exposure routes of cadmium, including natural and anthropogenic sources, occupational exposure, and dietary intake. The implications of cadmium contamination in food are also discussed in this section. Next, the chapter explores the absorption and distribution of cadmium within the body, focusing on the mechanisms of absorption, tissue distribution, and factors influencing cadmium metabolism. This understanding sets the stage for a detailed exploration of the neurological effects of cadmium. It highlights cadmium-induced neurotoxicity, its manifestations, and the impacts on the central nervous system (CNS). The chapter also investigates the neurodevelopmental effects, cognitive impairments, behavioral changes, and psychological disorders associated with cadmium exposure. The mechanisms underlying cadmium neurotoxicity are then examined, including oxidative stress and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, mitochondrial dysfunction, neurotransmitter and synapse function impairment, inflammation, immune responses in the CNS, and epigenetic alterations. The chapter further explores the connection between cadmium exposure and neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, along with other conditions associated with cadmium exposure. The vulnerability of certain populations, such as children and the aging population, to cadmium neurotoxicity is addressed, as well as potential gender differences. The chapter also discusses various methods and techniques for detecting and assessing cadmium neurotoxicity, including biomarkers, measuring cadmium concentration in biological samples, and neurological assessment methods. Moreover, preventive measures and mitigation strategies are outlined to address cadmium neurotoxicity. Occupational safety measures and environmental policies are discussed, along with dietary guidelines and pharmacological interventions such as chelating agents. In conclusion, the chapter summarizes the neurotoxic effects of cadmium, emphasizes the significance of further research, and provides strategies for reducing cadmium exposure and safeguarding neurohealth. This comprehensive examination of cadmium and its neurotoxic effects contributes to our understanding of the potential risks associated with cadmium exposure and informs future research endeavors to protect individuals from its deleterious effects on the nervous system.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Akaras, N., Ileriturk, M., Gur, C., Kucukler, S., Oz, M., & Kandemir, F. M. (2023). The protective effects of chrysin on cadmium-induced pulmonary toxicity; a multi-biomarker approach. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 1–16.
Ali, N., et al. (2018). Environmental exposure to lead and manganese and neurodevelopmental outcomes in children. Annals of Global Health, 84(3), 386–394.
Arora, M., Reichenbach, A., & van de Peppel, J. (2017). Epigenetic states transregulated by developmental and environmental cues: Exploring models and datasets. BioEssays, 39(3), 1700047.
Bernard, A. (2008). Cadmium & its adverse effects on human health. Indian Journal of Medical Research, 128(4), 557–564.
Bodur, S., Erarpat, S., Kayın, İ., & Bakırdere, S. (2023). Cadmium determination at trace levels in lake water samples by cold vapor generation-atomic absorption spectrometry after magnetic dispersive solid phase extraction. Chemical Papers, 1–8.
Bonomi, W., Giordano, G., Tognolina, M., et al. (2018). Altered miRNA expression levels in neurotoxicity induced by acute cadmium in rats. Toxicology Research, 4(5), 1246–1257.
Casas, A. I., Dao, V. T. V., Daiber, A., Maghzal, G. J., Di Lisa, F., O’Donnell, V. B., et al. (2017). Reactive oxygen-related diseases: Therapeutic targets and emerging clinical indications. Antioxidants & Redox Signaling, 29(11), 1172–1185.
Collaborative on Health and the Environment. (2013). Neurodevelopmental impacts from low-level exposure to lead, mercury, and other environmental toxins: Project TENDR consensus statement. Reviews on Environmental Health, 28(3), 185–192.
Dobersztyn, C., et al. (2018). Cadmium-related neurotoxicity ingesting food: A public health problem. Journal of Food Protection, 81(2), 222–236.
Elemile, O. O., Gana, A. J., Ejigboye, P. O., Ibitogbe, E. M., Olajide, O. S., & Ibitoye, O. O. (2023). Analysis of potentially toxic elements from selected mechanical workshops using the geo-accumulation index and principal component analysis in Omu-Aran community, Nigeria. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 195(2), 276.
Farghaly, M. S., Arafa, M. H., Badawy, M. G., et al. (2020). Interactions between prenatal cadmium exposure and socioeconomic factors and their effects on autism spectrum disorder. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(12), 4295.
Flora, S. J. S. (2009). Structural, chemical and biological aspects of antioxidants for strategies against metal and metalloid exposure. Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, 2(4), 191–206.
Fowler, B., et al. (2009). Neurotoxicity of cadmium and lead. Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part B, 12(6), 587–614.
Gnatyshyna, L., Khoma, V., Martinyuk, V., Matskiv, T., Pedrini-Martha, V., Niederwanger, M., Stoliar, O., & Dallinger, R. (2023). Sublethal cadmium exposure in the freshwater snail Lymnaea stagnalis meets a deficient, poorly responsive metallothionein system while evoking oxidative and cellular stress. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part C: Toxicology & Pharmacology, 263, 109490.
Hirsch, E. C., & Hunot, S. (2009). Neuroinflammation in Parkinson’s disease: A target for neuroprotection? The Lancet Neurology, 8(4), 382–397.
Jung, H. A., & Jung, Y. J. (2015). Mitochondria as targets in cadmium-induced apoptosis in neuronal cells. Biomedical Research International, 2015, 545294.
Lafuente, A., Gonzalez-Carracedo, A., Romero, A., et al. (2016). Effects of chronic cadmium exposure on the neurobehavioral development of rats in a low level exposure model. Neurotoxicology and Teratology, 54, 66–73.
Miguel-Queralt, S., Espejo-Porras, F., & Garcia-Dominguez, I. (2018). Role of astrocytes and microglia in the regulation of synaptic plasticity: Implications for neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders. Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience, 12, 222.
Nemmouche, S., Tritschler, L., Gabriel, C., et al. (2015). Cadmium induces apoptosis in a neuroblastoma cell line by caspase-dependent and p53-independent mechanisms. Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part A: Toxic/Hazardous Substances and Environmental Engineering, 50(6), 646–654.
Niehoff, M. L., & Adkins, D. L. (2014). Age-dependent effects of chronic cadmium exposure on cognitive behavior. Behavioural Brain Research, 263, 171–179.
Prozialeck, W. C., et al. (2014). Cadmium toxicokinetics: The relationship between tissue accumulation, and biological effects and health risks of cadmium in humans. Accounts of Chemical Research, 46(3), 543–554.
Ratner, V., et al. (2018). The role of neurotoxicants and neurotoxicity mechanisms in neurodevelopmental disorders. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 19(12), 3829.
Rocha, E. S., Ribeiro, A. P., Cerqueira, M. M. O. P., & Vieira, L. F. C. (2019). Cadmium-induced neurotoxicity: Targets and mechanisms of neurobehavioral disorders. Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology, 68, 101–114.
Satarug, S., Garrett, S. H., Sens, M. A., & Sens, D. A. (2010). Cadmium, environmental exposure, and health outcomes. Environmental Health Perspectives, 118(2), 182–190.
Scandalios, J. G. (2011). Oxidative stress response genes and their regulation. The Arabidopsis Book, 9, e0153.
Shayan, M., Mehri, S., Razavi, B. M., & Hosseinzadeh, H. (2023). Minocycline protects PC12 cells against cadmium-induced neurotoxicity by modulating apoptosis. Biological Trace Element Research, 201(4), 1946–1954.
da Silva, A. O. F., Bezerra, V., Meletti, P. C., Simonato, J. D., & dos Reis Martinez, C. B. (2023). Cadmium effects on the freshwater teleost Prochilodus lineatus: Accumulation and biochemical, genotoxic, and behavioural biomarkers. Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology, 99, 104121.
Soetan, K. O., Olaiya, C. O., & Oyewole, O. E. (2018). The importance of mineral elements for humans, domestic animals, and plants: A review. African Journal of Food Science, 12(3), 54–73.
Srivastava, A., Kumari, A., Jagdale, P., Ayanur, A., Pant, A. B., & Khanna, V. K. (2023). Potential of quercetin to protect cadmium induced cognitive deficits in rats by modulating NMDA-R mediated downstream signaling and PI3K/AKT—Nrf2/ARE signaling pathways in hippocampus. NeuroMolecular Medicine, 1–15.
Sun, H., et al. (2020). Emerging strategies for controlling cadmium uptake in rice. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 393, 122412.
Tang, Y., Xie, H., Chen, J., et al. (2017). Low-level prenatal exposure to cadmium and premature delivery: A birth cohort study in Wuhan, China. PLoS ONE, 12(3), e0173094.
Tinkov, A. A., Skalny, A. A., Cherkasov, S. V., et al. (2018). Impact of chronic exposure to cadmium on the blood-brain barrier integrity and dopamine metabolism in rats. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 115, 431–437.
Tinkov, A. A., Filippini, T., Ajsuvakova, O. P., Aaseth, J., Gluhcheva, Y. G., Ivanova, J. M., Bjørklund, G., Skalnaya, M. G., Gatiatulina, E. R., Popova, E. V., & Nemereshina, O. N., (2017). The role of cadmium in obesity and diabetes. Science of the Total Environment, 601–602, 741–755.
Vallejo, R., Toledo, R., Amma, L. L., et al. (2015). Ultrastructural changes and apoptosis in dentate gyrus of rat hippocampus induced by acute methylmercury intoxication. Toxicology and Industrial Health, 31(6), 616–629.
Wang, H., et al. (2012). Maternal cadmium exposure and neurodevelopmental outcomes in children aged 2–5 years. Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part A, 47(7), 1032–1042.
Wang, M., Liu, W., Zhang, H., et al. (2019). Cadmium-induced neurotoxicity: Mechanisms and interpretations. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 20(3), 569.
Wang, Y. X., Mao, L. J., Meng, Q. F., et al. (2020). Evaluation of cadmium, chromium, nickel, copper, and zinc concentrations in biological reference materials by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. BMC Chem., 14(1), 9.
Wang, J., Pang, B., et al. (2021). Anxiety-like behavior induced by subchronic exposure to cadmium in mice: Role of oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and neurotrophin factor impairment. Chemosphere, 266, 129206.
Xu, B., Huang, R., Huang, J., et al. (2016). Cadmium-induced neuron apoptosis and brain-borne encephalopathy. Journal of Hygiene Research, 45(4), 559–565.
Xu, Y., Zhang, H., Zhang, M., et al. (2019). Behavioral effects and mechanisms of neurodevelopmental cadmium exposure in rats. Environmental Pollution, 248, 928–935.
Yang, Y. J., Lee, E. Y., Choi, S. Y., et al. (2018). Cadmium-induced oxidative stress and apoptotic changes in the cerebellum of mice. Journal of Veterinary Science, 19(2), 246–252.
Zhai, Y., et al. (2019). Cadmium emissions from industrial sources and its control technologies. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 365, 416–425.
Zhang, J., Li, C., Yu, H., et al. (2017). Cadmium impairs cognitive function in rat frontal cortex and hippocampus. Neurotoxicology, 62, 1–9.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2024 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Dhilleswara Rao, H., Chintada, V., Veeraiah, K. (2024). Cadmium and Its Neurotoxic Effects. In: Jha, A.K., Kumar, N. (eds) Cadmium Toxicity in Water. Springer Water. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-54005-9_4
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-54005-9_4
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-031-54004-2
Online ISBN: 978-3-031-54005-9
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceEarth and Environmental Science (R0)