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Chronic manganese intoxication
1Department of Neurology, Chang Gung Medical College Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.
Archives of Neurology
|October 1, 1989
Abstract:
We report six cases of chronic manganese intoxication in workers at a ferromanganese factory in Taiwan. Diagnosis was confirmed by assessing increased manganese concentrations in the blood, scalp, and pubic hair. In addition, increased manganese levels in the environmental air were established. The patients showed a bradykinetic-rigid syndrome indistinguishable from Parkinson's disease that responded to treatment with levodopa.
Insights
Workers exposed to manganese at a ferromanganese factory developed Parkinson
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Neurotoxicology
- Environmental Medicine
Background:
- Chronic manganese intoxication can occur in occupational settings.
- Ferromanganese factory workers are at risk of manganese exposure.
Observation:
- Six workers presented with a movement disorder.
- The syndrome mimicked Parkinson's disease, featuring bradykinesia and rigidity.
- Elevated manganese levels were detected in workers' blood, hair, and the factory air.
Findings:
- Confirmed diagnosis of chronic manganese intoxication.
- Established a correlation between occupational manganese exposure and neurological symptoms.
- Demonstrated that the induced parkinsonism responded to levodopa treatment.
Implications:
- Highlights the neurotoxic effects of chronic manganese exposure in industrial environments.
- Underscores the importance of workplace monitoring and safety protocols for manganese handling.
- Suggests levodopa as a potential therapeutic agent for manganese-induced parkinsonism.