Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 10, 2026
11:38
In vivo Imaging of Optic Nerve Fiber Integrity by Contrast-Enhanced MRI in Mice
Published on: July 22, 2014
Chronic manganese exposure impairs visuospatial associative learning in non-human primates
J S Schneider1, C Williams1, M Ault1
1Department of Pathology, Anatomy and Cell Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States.
Toxicology Letters
|June 20, 2013
Summary
Chronic manganese (Mn) exposure can cause neurotoxicity and cognitive dysfunction. Early detection using the paired associate learning (PAL) task may identify preclinical dementia and Mn-induced cognitive deficits.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Toxicology
- Environmental Health
Background:
- Manganese (Mn) is essential but neurotoxic in excess.
- Chronic Mn exposure's neuropsychological effects are of interest.
- Previous studies noted Mn-induced changes in monkey frontal cortex.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate Mn-induced changes in paired associate learning (PAL) task performance.
- To assess PAL as a marker for preclinical Alzheimer's disease and Mn neurotoxicity.
Main Methods:
- Monkeys were exposed to Mn.
- Performance on the PAL task was evaluated.
- Cognitive function was assessed using the PAL task.
Main Results:
- PAL task performance was affected early in Mn exposure.
- Findings suggest PAL is sensitive to cognitive dysfunction from Mn exposure.
- Frontal cortex appears sensitive to Mn's cognitive effects.
Conclusions:
- PAL task performance may detect early, preclinical dementia.
- PAL is a sensitive tool for identifying Mn-induced cognitive dysfunction.
- Chronic Mn exposure may initiate or accelerate Alzheimer's-like pathology.
