Finding the
Cause of Parkinson's Disease - Linked to Occupational Fumes
Occupational exposure to manganese fumes emitted when filler materials are burned during welding has been related to the development of early Parkinson's Disease in some welders. Medical doctors have reported that chronic and excessive exposure to manganese, particularly in welding fumes, can result in the onset of Parkinson's disease. Among those who work in the welding industry, this report only confirms speculation, which has circulated among welders for years, that welding may lead to the development of Parkinson's. In fact, prior to the medical community's confirmation of the link between manganese and Parkinson's disease, some doctors and welders referred to the condition from which so many welders suffered as welding-related Parkinsonism, as well as welding rod disease or welding fumes sickness.
The medical community has long known that manganese poisoning or manganese toxicity can lead to an occupational disease called manganism. Because symptoms of manganism disease closely resemble those of Parkinson's, doctors classify manganism as a Parkinson's syndrome.
In 2001, a research team from
Washington University found that some professional welders developed
signs of Parkinson's disease an average of 15 years earlier than
the general population and suggested that this anomaly may be
related to inhalation of manganese. While acknowledging the relationship
between welding and manganism, the study concluded that welding
could also increase the risk of early onset Parkinson's disease.
Doctors are now beginning to recognize manganese exposure from
welding fumes as an environmental cause of Parkinson's disease
in welders.
Parkinson's disease occurs when nerve cells, or neurons, in the
substantia nigra area of the brain die or become impaired. Normally,
these neurons produce an important brain chemical known as dopamine.
Dopamine acts as a chemical messenger, transmitting signals between
the substantia nigra and other parts of the brain, which allow
for muscle control and activity. Loss of dopamine causes nerve
cells to fire out of control, leaving sufferers unable to direct
or control muscle movements in a normal manner. Studies have
shown that Parkinson's patients have an average loss of 80 percent
or more of dopamine-producing cells in the substantia nigra.
While several theories exist, researchers and doctors do not
know the cause of this cell death or impairment.
Some researchers believe that Parkinson's disease may occur when an external or internal toxin selectively destroys dopamine-producing neurons. Environmental risk factor such as exposure to pesticides, toxins in the food supply, or occupational toxins, such as manganese used in welding, are examples of the kind of external trigger that might cause or contribute to the development of Parkinson's disease. To date, however, no research has provided conclusive proof that a toxin causes the disease.
Other theories on the cause of Parkinson's disease include a relatively new theory that genetic factors may play a role in the onset of Parkinson's. According to research, fifteen to twenty percent of Parkinson's patients have a close relative who has experienced parkinsonian symptoms (such as a tremor). Another theory posits that Parkinson's disease occurs when, for unknown reasons, the normal, age-related wearing away of dopamine-producing neurons accelerates in certain individuals. Finally, one theory holds that free radicals unstable and potentially damaging molecules generated by normal chemical reactions in the body may contribute to nerve cell death through a process called oxidation, leading to Parkinson's disease. While in a healthy individual antioxidants prevent free radicals from causing neurological damage, evidence shows that patients with the disease have increased brain levels of iron, an oxidizing agent, and decreased levels of ferritin, which serves as a protective mechanism by forming a ring around the iron and isolating it.
Many researchers believe that
a combination of environmental toxins, genetic predisposition,
accelerated aging, and oxidative damage may, in fact, cause the
onset of Parkinson's.
If you believe that you have suffered an injury, such as the
onset of Parkinson's disease, as the result of manganese exposure,
it is imperative that you contact a qualified
attorney in order to insure that you maintain and protect
your rights.
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