The Cd has been recognized as one of the most toxic environmental and industrial pollutants due to its ability to induce disturbances in several organs and tissues following either acute or chronic exposure. This review accounts for the recent evidence on its mechanisms to induce neurotoxicity, the role of the blood-brain barrier, oxidative stress, interference with calcium, and zinc-dependent processes and apoptosis induction as well as the modulatory effect of metallothionein. Discussion about cadmium neurotoxicity is centered on mechanisms of induction of cellular disfunctions. Future investigations must address those neuronal mechanisms in detail in order to understand cadmium-induced neurotoxicity.
Copyright © 2006. Published by Elsevier B.V.