Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Olfactory function in workers exposed to moderate airborne cadmium levels.

P Mascagni1, D Consonni, G Bregante

  • 1Clinical Unit of Occupational Health, Desio Hospital, 20033 Desio, Milan, Italy. utentep.desmdl@aovimercate.org

Neurotoxicology
|August 6, 2003
PubMed
Summary

Occupational exposure to cadmium (Cd) impairs olfactory function, even at low levels. Olfactory tests can detect these early toxic effects, suggesting the olfactory neuron is a primary target for cadmium toxicity.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Work conditions and work-life balance among secondary school teachers in Southwest Nigeria.

BMC public health·2026
Same author

Uncomplicated monochorionic twins: neurodevelopmental insights and implications.

Ultrasound in obstetrics & gynecology : the official journal of the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology·2025
Same author

Deep learning neural network prediction of postoperative complications in patients undergoing laparoscopic right hemicolectomy with or without CME and CVL for colon cancer: insights from SICE (Società Italiana di Chirurgia Endoscopica) CoDIG data.

Techniques in coloproctology·2025
Same author

Anaphylaxis trend before and during pandemic: COVID-19 did not affect anaphylaxis frequency.

European annals of allergy and clinical immunology·2025
Same author

Severe chronic spontaneous urticaria responding and not responding to omalizumab: analysis of the prognostic value of known and novel in vitro variables.

European annals of allergy and clinical immunology·2024
Same author

Sinonasal cancer incidence in Lombardy, Italy, 2008-20.

Occupational medicine (Oxford, England)·2024

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Health
  • Toxicology
  • Occupational Medicine

Background:

  • Occupational exposure to cadmium (Cd) is a concern in various industries.
  • Traditional diagnostic methods may not detect early adverse effects of moderate Cd exposure.
  • Olfactory function can be a sensitive indicator of neurotoxicity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate olfactory function in workers exposed to moderate airborne cadmium levels.
  • To identify early adverse effects of cadmium not detectable by standard methods.
  • To assess the olfactory neuron as an early target for cadmium toxicity.

Main Methods:

  • Assessed olfactory threshold and odor identification in 33 cadmium-exposed workers and two control groups (39 manual workers, 23 welders).

Related Experiment Videos

  • Measured mean blood and urinary cadmium levels (CdB, CdU) over five years.
  • Monitored urinary beta(2)-microglobulin as an indicator of renal tubular damage.

    • Main Results:

    • Cadmium workers showed a significantly higher olfactory threshold (impaired function) compared to controls.
    • Odor identification abilities were similar across all groups.
    • Impaired olfactory threshold was observed even in cadmium-exposed workers with normal renal function indicators.

    Conclusions:

    • Early toxic effects of cadmium can occur at low exposure levels, near ACGIH limits.
    • The primary olfactory neuron appears to be an early target for cadmium toxicity.
    • Olfactory tests are valuable for detecting early xenobiotic effects and evaluating exposure limits.