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Community Exposure to Air Manganese and Motor and Cognitive Outcomes
Citation:
Lobdell, D., R. Bowler, V. Gocheva, AND M. Colledge. Community Exposure to Air Manganese and Motor and Cognitive Outcomes. Presented at International Society for Environmental Epidemiology, Seattle, WA, August 24 - 28, 2014.
Impact/Purpose:
This study examined chronic low level air manganese exposure in community and the risk of neurologic outcomes. This was a Region 5 RARE project.
Description:
Although manganese (Mn) is an essential nutrient, occupational studies have shown inhaling high levels of Mn can lead to adverse nervous system health effects. Few studies have examined the health effects of air-Mn exposure on adults in a community. We conducted a cross-sectional study in a control town (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) and 2 towns (Marietta and East Liverpool, Ohio) with elevated air-Mn due to industrial processes. Recruited participants were aged 30-75 years and resided 10 or more years within respective town. Data included neurological and neuropsychological test results. Air modeling was conducted for Marietta (range 0.03-1.61 µg/m3) and East Liverpool (0.01-6.32 µg/m3). Town differences for outcomes used ANOVA (results reported as [F-statistic; partial eta squared (p-value)]). For Marietta and East Liverpool, Spearman’s rho was used to calculate correlations between air-Mn and motor and cognitive outcomes (results reported as [rho(p-value)]). East Liverpool had poorer scores than Marietta and Mount Vernon for word reading [3.7;.03(0.27)]; motor speed dominant hand (DH)[11.5;.08 (<.001)], non-dominant hand (NDH)[7.1;.05(.001)], motor strength DH[10.5;.07(<.001)], NDH[6.3;.04(.002)]; and tactile function DH [7.1;.05(.001)]. Higher air-Mn was correlated to slower motor speed DH[ -.26(<.001)], NDH[ -.16 (.027)]; and worse tactile function scores NDH[ -.15(.04)]. For cognitive outcomes, higher air-Mn was correlated to lower scores on daily memory immediate [-.15(.04)] and delayed [-.17(.02)]; divided attention [-.15(.04)]; cognitive flexibility [-.16(.03)]; naming [-.19(.01)]; abstract reasoning [-.30(<.001)]; attention and working memory [-.19(.01)]; and immediate [-.21(.003)] and delayed [-.20(.005)] visual memory. Environmental exposures are low compared to occupational exposures and small positive findings may indicate early, clinical effects of air-Mn exposure. This abstract does not necessarily reflect EPA or ATSDR policy.