What better way to study Parkinson’s disease than…to not study it? Well, according to Parkinson’s News Today, researchers are hoping to learn more about the disorder by doing just that. On the surface, it may seem counterintuitive. But a new project, funded by a $3.7 million federal grant, looks to understand the impact of manganese exposure on welders. As high manganese exposure (manganism) results in similar cognitive effects, understanding the neurology of manganese could ultimately provide more insight into Parkinson’s disease treatment.
Manganese
What is Manganese?
Manganese is an essential mineral and nutrient that, in low levels, helps the body function properly. It can be found in foods like whole grains, leafy vegetables, nuts, brown rice, and dark chocolate. In normal levels, manganese plays a role in:
- Bone health and development
- Blood sugar regulation
- Inflammation reduction
- Nutrient metabolism
- Wound healing
However, manganese can be potentially toxic – or harmful to your body – in high doses. Learn more about manganese.
Manganism
Manganism refers to excess levels of manganese in the body, or manganese toxicity. A case study from Baylor College of Medicine explains that manganism results in:
headache, nervousness, and mental slowing…occasional bursts of agitation and hallucinations…extreme fatigue, nervousness, muscle cramps, and decreased libido…reduced concentration, hallucinations…monotone speech, reduced facial expression…and tremors [that are] less prominent [than] Parkinson’s disease.
So, in short, manganese exposure can impact movement and cognition. It shares symptoms with Parkinson’s disease because manganese causes dopaminergic neuron death. As a result, dopamine replacement therapies are used in both cases. However, researchers note that dopaminergic neuron death explains movement and motor issues – but not so much the cognitive issues, like memory loss or changes in personality.
The recently funded project aims to determine how and why these cognitive issues occur, and how they can best be treated.
The Upcoming Project
The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences is funding this project. It is following approximately 60 welders, whose job exposes them to manganese. As they weld, metal-filled fumes fill the air. Then, welders inhale these fumes, leading to an accumulation of metals such as manganese.
According to one researcher, whose previous work linked manganese and Parkinson’s-esque symptoms:
“Welders [have] very mild [cognitive and neurological] symptoms that only a trained neurologist would detect. Their symptoms can worsen over time and that [seems] to be related to [manganese exposure].”
Throughout the project, cognitive tests and PET brain scans will examine dopaminergic and cholinergic brain neurons. In understanding how these neurons interact, or what role they play in symptom development, researchers can better understand manganism. As a result, they can gain more insight into how the same physiological processes work in Parkinson’s disease as well.
Parkinson’s Disease
Parkinson’s disease is a progressive central nervous system disorder that impacts movement. In this disorder, dopaminergic brain neurons degenerate and die. Since dopamine plays a role in many bodily functions, from mood and pleasure to movement, muscle function suffers when dopamine levels are reduced. Parkinson’s disease usually begins after the age of 50. It progresses through five distinct stages:
- Mild symptoms, light tremors. At this stage, most patients will only be affected on one side of their body.
- Noticeable symptoms, tremors. In the 2nd stage, patients will start feeling tremors on both sides of their body. Muscle rigidity and stiffness also sets in.
- Loss of balance, slowing movement. This is the third and middle stage of Parkinson’s disease, categorized by increasing loss of movement.
- Strong, invasive symptoms. By stage 4, many patients experience difficulty with independent living.
- Loss of movement, motor skills. In the final and most severe stage of Parkinson’s disease, many patients lose the ability to walk or stand. Additionally, patients may experience delusions.
Symptoms of Parkinson’s disease include:
- Stiff and rigid muscles
- Restlessness
- Sleep disturbances or poor sleep
- Depression or anxiety
- Jaw stiffness
- Changes in speech (slurring, stuttering, difficulty speaking)
- Hallucinations, delusions, and dementia
- Hand tremors, including the “pill-rolling” tremor
- Difficulty walking, standing, or moving
- Slowed movement
- Loss of ability to smile, blink
Learn more about Parkinson’s disease.
