Neuropsychological profiles of manganese neurotoxicity.

The etiology of manganese neurotoxicity is heterogenous and includes exposure to welding fumes, chronic liver failure, and chronic total parental nutrition (TPN). We recently reported that cognitive impairment occurs in welders and patients with chronic liver failure who had evidence of manganese neurotoxicity including abnormal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) basal ganglia T1 hyperintensity. In this study, we compared the neuropsychological profiles of patients with manganese neurotoxicity and basal ganglia T1 hyperintensities from three different etiologies: welding, chronic liver failure, and chronic TPN. Across all three groups, the neuropsychological profiles suggest frontal and subcortical cognitive impairment, with more widespread abnormalities occurring in the non-welding groups.