Objectives: The aim of the present study was to assess the effects of aluminum (Al) on the nervous system functions in workers chronically exposed to Al.
Materials And Methods: The study covered a selected group of 67 male workers (mean age, 38.7 SD 10.3 years; range 23-55 years) involved in the Al production. Their employment duration ranged between 2 and 34 years (mean, 14.6 SD 8.9 years). Aluminum oxide (Al203) concentrations varied from 0.13 to 1.95 mg/m3 (arithmetic mean, 0.40 mg/3, geometric mean, 0.35 mg/m3 SD 0.29). Urine Al concentrations found in smelters ranged from 8.5 to 93.0 microg/l (mean, 42.9 SD 20.5 microg/l). The control group consisted of 57 men non-occupationally exposed to Al, matched by gender, age and work shifts.
Results: Clinically, headache (41.8%), increased emotional irritability (56.7%), concentration difficulty (22.4%), insomnia (22.4%) and mood lability (14.9%) predominated among functional disorders of the nervous system in workers chronically exposed to Al. Objective neurological examinations did not reveal organic lesions in the central or peripheral nervous system. In the EEGs classified as abnormal, generalized and paroxysmal changes were most common.
Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that exposure to Al203 at concentrations below MAC values induces subclinical effect in the nervous system.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
---|
Fluids Barriers CNS
January 2025
Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
Background: Iduronate-2-sulfatase (IDS) deficiency (MPS II; Hunter syndrome) is a disorder that exhibits peripheral and CNS pathology. The blood brain barrier (BBB) prevents systemic enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) from alleviating CNS pathology. We aimed to enable brain delivery of systemic ERT by using molecular BBB-Trojans targeting endothelial transcytosis receptors.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Neuroinflammation
January 2025
Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
The thrombolytic protease tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) is expressed in the CNS, where it regulates diverse functions including neuronal plasticity, neuroinflammation, and blood-brain-barrier integrity. However, its role in different brain regions such as the substantia nigra (SN) is largely unexplored. In this study, we characterize tPA expression, activity, and localization in the SN using a combination of retrograde tracing and β-galactosidase tPA reporter mice.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEur J Med Res
January 2025
Department of Magnetic Resonance Imaging, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
Background: To investigate the alterations in spontaneous brain activity and the similarities and differences between monocular deprivation amblyopia and binocular deprivation amblyopia.
Methods: Twenty children with binocular deprivation amblyopia, 26 children with monocular deprivation amblyopia and 20 healthy controls underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging. The evaluation of altered spontaneous brain activity was conducted using fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF).
Fluids Barriers CNS
January 2025
Adelaide Spinal Research Group & Centre for Orthopaedics and Trauma Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Level 7, Adelaide Health and Medical Sciences Building, North Terrace, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia.
Background: Traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) causes spinal cord swelling and occlusion of the subarachnoid space (SAS). SAS occlusion can change pulsatile cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) dynamics, which could have acute clinical management implications. This study aimed to characterise SAS occlusion and investigate CSF dynamics over 14 days post-SCI in the pig.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBMC Med Genomics
January 2025
Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) lacks a specific biomarker, but is defined by relatively selective toxicity to motor neurons (MN). As others have highlighted, this offers an opportunity to develop a sensitive and specific biomarker based on detection of DNA released from dying MN within accessible biofluids. Here we have performed whole genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) of iPSC-derived MN from neurologically normal individuals.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!