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Manganese and Parkinson's disease: a critical review and new findings

Tomás R Guilarte1

  • 1Neurotoxicology and Molecular Imaging Laboratory, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA. trguilarte@columbia.edu

Ciencia & Saude Coletiva
|November 30, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Chronic manganese (Mn) exposure causes parkinsonism distinct from Parkinson's disease (PD). Mn-induced parkinsonism does not involve dopamine neuron degeneration, making L-DOPA ineffective.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Toxicology
  • Neuropathology

Background:

  • Manganese (Mn) is an essential element, but chronic overexposure can lead to neurological disorders.
  • Parkinsonism, a condition characterized by motor symptoms, can arise from various causes, including environmental exposures.
  • Distinguishing Mn-induced parkinsonism from idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD) is crucial for effective treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine if chronic manganese exposure causes dopamine neuron degeneration and Parkinson's disease (PD).
  • To investigate if Mn exposure results in a distinct neuropathology and clinical presentation compared to PD.
  • To compare the clinical, neuroimaging, and neuropathological changes associated with Mn-induced parkinsonism.

Main Methods:

  • Review of clinical, neuroimaging, and neuropathological studies in humans and nonhuman primates.
  • Examination of literature on Mn exposure and other conditions causing elevated brain Mn.
  • Comparison of Mn-induced parkinsonism with idiopathic Parkinson's disease.

Main Results:

  • Overwhelming evidence indicates Mn-induced parkinsonism does not involve degeneration of midbrain dopamine neurons.
  • L-dopa, a primary PD therapy, is not an effective treatment for Mn-induced parkinsonism.
  • New evidence suggests a distinct mechanism for Mn-induced movement abnormalities.

Conclusions:

  • Mn-induced parkinsonism has a distinct neuropathology and clinical presentation from PD.
  • The nigrostriatal dopaminergic system is not degenerated in Mn-induced parkinsonism.
  • Further research is essential for targeted treatments and regulatory guidelines for manganese exposure.

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