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European Radiology
Published in: European Radiology 12/2022

23-06-2022 | Magnetic Resonance Imaging | Magnetic Resonance

Gray matter microstructural alterations in manganese-exposed welders: a preliminary neuroimaging study

Authors: Jiayu Wu, Qiaoying Zhang, Pengfeng Sun, Hong Zhang, Ming Gao, Mingyue Ma, Yan Dong, Peng Liu, Xiaoping Wu

Published in: European Radiology | Issue 12/2022

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Abstract

Objectives

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).

Methods

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.

Results

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.

Conclusions

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.

Key Points

• 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.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
Gray matter microstructural alterations in manganese-exposed welders: a preliminary neuroimaging study
Authors
Jiayu Wu
Qiaoying Zhang
Pengfeng Sun
Hong Zhang
Ming Gao
Mingyue Ma
Yan Dong
Peng Liu
Xiaoping Wu
Publication date
23-06-2022
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
European Radiology / Issue 12/2022
Print ISSN: 0938-7994
Electronic ISSN: 1432-1084
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-022-08908-y

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