Manganese and Parkinsonism

Is the parkinsonian phenotype seen in welders related to the exposure of manganese-containing welding fumes?

The results, published in Neurology, looked at a trade union-based longitudinal study of 886 welding-exposed workers with a follow-up of almost 10 years.

Progression of parkinsonism increased with cumulative manganese exposure. Exposure was clinically associated with upper limb bradykinesia, upper and lower limb rigidity, and clinical dysfunction of speech and facial expression.