Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Xi'an Central Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.
Life Science Research Center, School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, 710071, Shaanxi, China.
Eur Radiol. 2022 Dec;32(12):8649-8658. doi: 10.1007/s00330-022-08908-y. Epub 2022 Jun 23.
Chronic occupational manganese (Mn) exposure is characterized by motor and cognitive dysfunction. This study aimed to investigate structural abnormalities in Mn-exposed welders compared to healthy controls (HCs).
Thirty-five HCs and forty Mn-exposed welders underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans in this study. Based on T1-weighted MRI, the voxel-based morphometry (VBM), structural covariance, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were applied to examine whole-brain structural changes in Mn-exposed welders.
Compared to HCs, Mn-exposed welders had altered gray matter volume (GMV) mainly in the medial prefrontal cortex, lentiform nucleus, hippocampus, and parahippocampus. ROC analysis indicated the potential highest classification power of the hippocampus/parahippocampus. Moreover, distinct structural covariance patterns in the two groups were associated with regions, mainly including the thalamus, insula, amygdala, sensorimotor area, and middle temporal gyrus. No significant relationships were found between the findings and clinical characteristics.
Our findings showed Mn-exposed welders had changed GMV and structural covariance patterns in some regions, which implicated in motivative response, cognitive control, and emotional regulation. These results might provide preliminary evidence for understanding the pathophysiology of Mn overexposure.
• Chronic Mn exposure might be related to abnormal brain structural neural mechanisms. • Mn-exposed welders had morphological changes in brain regions implicated in emotional modulation, cognitive control, and motor-related response. • Altered gray matter volume in the hippocampus/parahippocampus and putamen might serve as potential biomarkers for Mn overexposure.
慢性职业性锰（Mn）暴露的特征是运动和认知功能障碍。本研究旨在研究与健康对照组（HCs）相比，Mn 暴露焊工的结构异常。
本研究纳入 35 名 HCs 和 40 名 Mn 暴露焊工进行磁共振成像（MRI）扫描。基于 T1 加权 MRI，采用体素形态计量学（VBM）、结构协方差和受试者工作特征（ROC）曲线分析 Mn 暴露焊工全脑结构变化。
与 HCs 相比，Mn 暴露焊工的灰质体积（GMV）发生改变，主要位于内侧前额叶皮层、豆状核、海马和海马旁回。ROC 分析表明，海马/海马旁回具有最高的分类能力。此外，两组之间存在明显的结构协变模式，主要与丘脑、脑岛、杏仁核、感觉运动区和颞中回等区域有关。未发现这些发现与临床特征之间存在显著相关性。
我们的研究结果表明，Mn 暴露焊工的 GMV 和某些区域的结构协变模式发生了改变，这些区域与动机反应、认知控制和情绪调节有关。这些结果可能为理解 Mn 过量暴露的病理生理学提供初步证据。
• 慢性 Mn 暴露可能与异常的大脑结构神经机制有关。
• Mn 暴露焊工的大脑区域在情绪调节、认知控制和与运动相关的反应方面存在形态学变化。
• 海马/海马旁回和壳核的灰质体积改变可能作为 Mn 过量暴露的潜在生物标志物。
