The effect of manganese inhalation on basal ganglia dopamine concentrations in rhesus monkey.

Manganese (Mn) may produce neurotoxicity in man through inhalation of Mn dust. Animals exposed to excessive Mn develop neurological abnormalities, and neuropathological lesions in the brain mainly in the globus pallidus with decreased concentrations of the neurotransmitter, dopamine (DA), in the brain. Monkeys exposed to Mn by inhalation did not produce any abnormal movements. After two years, the animals were sacrificed and certain brain areas were compared to controls. There were significant decreases in DA concentration in caudate and globus pallidus, and there was a 60-80% increase in Mn concentration in the basal ganglia of the brain. The DA system in the basal ganglia is vulnerable to the effects of Mn, but the amount of Mn inhaled and the period of exposure would appear to determine whether abnormal neurological signs develop.