Internal load of aluminum and the central nervous system function of aluminum welders.

Hänninen, Helena; Matikainen, Esko; Kovala, Tero; Valkonen, Sinikka; Riihimäki, Vesa

doi:10.5271/sjweh.1397

Cited by 67 publications

(39 citation statements)

References 11 publications

(16 reference statements)

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“…Morris water maze is regarded as a typical instrument to evaluate cognitive abilities of rodents. The hidden platform acquisition could reflect the function of hippocampus (Morris et al, 1986), and hippocampus-dependent spatial learning and memory of animals are frequently investigated in the water maze (Astur et al, 2004), It was reported that visual spatial perception ability, psychomotor ability, short-term memory and learning ability were subject to a certain degree of damage in Al-related workers (Bast-Pettersen et al, 1994;Hanninen et al, 1994;Riihimaki, 2000). In addition, a survey revealed that the children's intelligence near the Al plant was significantly lower than that of other children at the same age (Buchta et al, 2003).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of subchronic aluminum exposure on spatial memory, ultrastructure and L-LTP of hippocampus in rats

et al. 2013

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-Epidemiological investigations have indicated that aluminum (Al), as an important environmental neurotoxicant, could cause damage to the cognitive function which was closely related with neurodegenerative diseases. Long-term potentiation (LTP) is one form of synaptic plasticity in association with cognitive function. Previous studies have demonstrated that Al impaired early phase long-term potentiation (E-LTP) in vivo and in vitro. However, Al-induced damage to late phase long-term potentiation (L-LTP) has poorly been studied. The present study was designed to observe the effects of subchronic Al exposure on the spatial memory, hippocampus ultrastructure and L-LTP in rats. Pregnant Wistar rats were assigned to four groups. Neonatal rats were exposed to Al by parental lactation from parturition to weaning for 3 weeks and then fed with the distilled water containing 0, 0.2%, 0.4% and 0.6% aluminum chloride (AlCl 3 ) respectively from weaning to postnatal 3 months. The levels of Al in blood and hippocampus were quantitated by atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Morris water maze test was performed to study spatial memory. The induction and maintenance of L-LTP in area of Schaffer collateral-CA1 synapse was recorded by extracellular microelectrode recording technology in hippocampus of experimental rats. Hippocampus was collected for transmission electron microscopy observation. The results showed that the Al concentrations in blood and hippocampus of Al-exposed rats were higher than those of the control rats. Al could impair spatial memory ability of rats. Neuronal and synaptic ultrastructure from Al-exposed rats presented pathological changes; the incidence of L-LTP has a decrease trend while population spike (PS) amplitude was much smaller significantly stimulated by high-frequency stimulation (HFS) in Al-exposed rats. Our findings showed that Al exposure caused spatial memory damage, under which the neuronal and synaptic ultrastructure changes maybe were their morphological basis and the impaired L-LTP of hippocampus could be their electrophysiological basis.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of subchronic aluminum exposure on spatial memory, ultrastructure and L-LTP of hippocampus in rats

et al. 2013

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“…Aluminum welders with about 13 years of full-time employment reported concentration difficulties and depression twice as frequently as welders of mild steel (30). Our previous study of 17 MIG welders with about 4 years of exposure and moderately raised S-A1 (mean 0.21 pmol/l) and U-A1 (mean 2.8 pmolll) concentrations suggested slight dose-related impairments in memory functions, learning, and attention, as well as in characteristic slowing of the EEG in the frontal region (31). A more recent study of aluminum welders whose median (maximum) blood and U-A1 levels were 0.11 (SD 1.0) and 0.8 (SD 9.4) pmolll, respectively, showed exposure-related decrements in the motor function of the hands; the welders reported more fatigue at the time of the test (48).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The test battery with 12 tests used in our previous aluminum study (31) was complemented by a more comprehensive selection of tests for attention and memory. Table 1 shows the methods used in this study.…”

Section: Lveuropsychological Test Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Longterm aluminum welders reported concentration difficulties and depression twice as frequently as welders of mild steel (30). We have previously conducted a study on a small group of rather homogeneously exposed MIG welders who had moderately increased sesum and urinary aluminum levels, and we found an internal load-related slight impairment of memory functions, learning, and attention and also some characteristic electroencephalographic (EEG) changes (31). Since the study group was small, the findings were only suggestive.…”

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confidence: 96%

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Body burden of aluminum in relation to central nervous system function among metal inert-gas welders

Riihimäki¹,

Hänninen²,

Akila³

et al. 2000

Scand J Work Environ Health

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ObjectivesThe relationship between elevated internal aluminum loads and central nervous system function was studied among aluminum welders, and the threshold level for adverse effect was defined.Methods For 65 aluminum welders and 25 current mild steel welders body burden was estimated, and the aluminum concentrations in serum (S-Al) and urine (U-A1) were analyzed with graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry with Zeeman background correction. Referents and low-exposure and high-exposure groups were defined according to an aggregated measure of aluminum body burden, the group median S-A1 levels being 0.08, 0.14, and 0.46 pmolll, respectively, and the corresponding values for U-A1 being 0.4, 1.8, and 7.1 pmolll. Central nervous system functions were assessed with a neuropsychological test battery, symptom and mood questionnaires, a visual and quantitative analysis of electroencephalography (EEG), and P3 event-related potentials with pitch and duration paradigms.Results Subjective symptoms showed exposure-related increases in fatigue, mild depression, and memory and concentration problems. Neuropsychological testing revealed a circumscribed effect of aluminum, mainly in tasks demanding complex attention and the processing of information in the working memory system and in the analysis and recall of abstract visual patterns. The visual EEG analysis revealed pathological findings only for aluminum welders. Mild, diffuse abnormalities were found in 17% of the low-exposure group and 27% of the high-exposure group, and mild to moderate epileptiform abnormalities at a frequency of 7% and 17%, respectively. C O~C~U S~O~S Both objective neurophysiological and neuropsychological measures and subjective symptomatology indicated mild but unequivocal findings dose-dependently associated with increased aluminum body burden. The study indicates that the body burden threshold for adverse effect approximates an U-A1 value of 4-6 pmol/l and an S-A1 value of 0.25-0.35 kmol/l among aluminum welders.

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“…The test methods were selected on the basis of ®ndings from previous studies among aluminum-exposed workers, where the main ®ndings include neuropsychiatric symptoms, impaired motor function and longer reaction times [BastPettersen et al, 1994;Sim et al, 1997;Sjo Ègren et al, 1990;Ha Ènninen et al, 1994;.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Neurobehavioral performance in aluminum welders

et al. 2000

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Internal load of aluminum and the central nervous system function of aluminum welders.

Abstract: Internal load of aluminum and the central nervous system function of aluminum welders.

Cited by 67 publications

References 11 publications

Effects of subchronic aluminum exposure on spatial memory, ultrastructure and L-LTP of hippocampus in rats

Effects of subchronic aluminum exposure on spatial memory, ultrastructure and L-LTP of hippocampus in rats

Body burden of aluminum in relation to central nervous system function among metal inert-gas welders

Neurobehavioral performance in aluminum welders

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