Manganese can cause Parkinsonian symptoms

People exposed to the metal manganese through industrial pollution may be at increased risk of Parkinson-like problems like tremors and impaired movement. Manganese is used in steel production and as a coating on welding rods, among other industrial applications. The body needs tiny amounts of manganese, and it is found as a trace mineral in foods such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables. However, overexposure to manganese is known to damage nerve cells, potentially causing Parkinson-like problems known as manganism - including tremors, slowed movement and unsteady gait. To study whether or not environmental exposure to manganese from industrial pollution raises people's risk of Parkinson-like symptoms, Italian researchers assessed Parkinson symptoms among more than 900,000 residents of the Northern Italy province of Brescia. It was found that the rate of so-called 'Parkinsonian disturbances' was high in 37 communities near plants producing iron-manganese alloys for steel making. The rate in those communities was 492 cases per 100,000 residents, versus 321 per 100,000 in the other 169 municipalities covered in the study. The findings also established a link between Parkinson-like symptoms and the amount of manganese in dust samples collected from residents' windowsills. Thus, prolonged exposure to low levels of manganese from early stages of life (and possibly prenatal) may affect the brain differently - potentially acting as an environmental trigger that contributes to Parkinson-like symptoms in some people. However, further research is needed to see whether some people are genetically more vulnerable to this risk, and to better define safe levels of environmental manganese exposure.