Occupational exposures and movement abnormalities among Japanese-American men: the Honolulu-Asia Aging Study

The authors analyzed data on 1,049 men aged 71-93 years (excluding those with prevalent Parkinson's disease and stroke) from the Honolulu Heart Program (1965-1968) and the Honolulu-Asia Aging Study (1991-1999) to determine whether occupational exposures to pesticides, solvents, metals, manganese, and mercury during middle age were associated with 14 movement abnormalities 25 years later.

Analyses of variance and multivariate logistic regression were used to assess associations of interest.

After adjustment for age, BMI, cognitive functioning, smoking, alcohol drinking, education, and physical activity, there was a positive association between abnormal 'facial expression' and the highest exposure to metals [odds ratio (OR) = 2.62; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.35-5.11; trend, p = 0.02], and the highest exposure to mercury (OR = 1.91; 95% CI = 1.04-3.49; trend, p = 0.03). Age was positively associated with all movement abnormalities, and cognitive function, body mass index and physical activity were inversely associated with most movement abnormalities.

Higher exposure to any metal, and specifically mercury, was associated with abnormal facial expression.