Project 2
Parkinsonism and Metal Exposures Among Welders

Parkinsonism is a debilitating, incurable neurodegenerative disorder that affects over several million people in the US. Parkinson's disease is the main type of PS. Parkinsonism is one of the movement disorders whose primary clinical features are slowed movement, difficulty walking and standing, tremor at rest, and muscle rigidity. Metals present in welding fumes have been related to risks for parkinsonism in some previous studies, although there remains some controversy. Of particular concern are exposures to manganese (Mn), although co-occurring metals, notably iron, lead, copper, chromium, and aluminum, may act independently or synergistically to cause signs and symptoms of parkinsonism. This study is being conducted among a group of approximately 1000 professional shipyard welders. The objective of the project is to determine whether the welders' exposure to Mn and other metals increase their risk for parkinsonism. We will also determine whether welding metals is related to the severity and progression of parkinsonism. The study should ultimately provide valuable new scientific information that will shed light on the causes of parkinsonsim and, ideally, lead to the prevention of this disorder.

Recent publications:

Searles Nielsen S, Checkoway H, Butler R, Nelson H, Farin F, Longstreth WT Jr, Franklin G, Swanson P, Kelsey K. (2012) Incident Parkinson disease and LINE-1 DNA methylation: a case-control study. Neuroepidemiology 38:196-202.

READCriswell S, Perlmutter J, Huang J, Golchin N, flores H, Hobson A, Aschner M, Erikson K, Checkoway H, Racette B. Basal ganglia intensity indices and diffusion weighted imaging inmanganese exposed welders. Occup Environ Med. 2012. March 23 [epub ahead of print]

READ Harris RC, Lundin JI, Criswell SR, Hobson A, Swisher LM, Evanoff BA, Checkoway H, Racette BA. (2011) Effects of parkinsonism on health status in welding exposed workers. Nov; 17(9):672-6.

READ Criswell SR, Perlmutter JS, Videen TO, Moerlein SM, Flores HP, Birke AM, Racette BA. (2011) Reduced Uptake of [18F]FDOPA PET in Asymptomatic Welders with Occupational Manganese Exposure. Neurolog. Apr 12;76(15):1296-301.

Recent posters:

Parkinsonism among workers from welding job sites. J Lundin, H Checkoway, SR Criswell, A Hobson, N Seixas, BA Evanoff, LM Swisher, BA Racette. 2011 Superfund Annual Meeting, Lexington, KY.

Recent presentations:

Cook TJ, Armaly JS, Osbun JW, Shi M, Racette BA, Checkoway H, Zhang J. α-Synuclein and DJ-1 in whole blood as biomarkers of parkinsonism. Presented at the Superfund Research Program Annual Conference, Lexington, KY, October, 2011.

Lundin JI, Checkoway H, Criswell S, Hobson A, Seixas N, Evanoff B, Sheppard L, Racette B. Parkisonism among workers from welding job sites. Presented at the Superfund Research Program Annual Conference, Lexington, KY, October, 2011.

Checkoway H. Are there any consistent environmental risk factors for Parkison disease? (Invited keynote talk.) EPICOH Conference, Oxford, UK, September, 2011.

Criswell S, Perlmutter J, Golchin N, Flores H, Hobson A, Aschner, Erickson K, Checkoway H, Racette B. Basal ganglia intensity in manganese-exposed welders. Presented at EPICOH Conference, Oxford, UK, September, 2011.

Lundin JI, Checkoway H, Criswell S, Hobson A, Seixas N, Evanoff B, Sheppard L, Racette B. Increased risk of parkinsonism associated with cumulative hours of welding. Presented at EPICOH Conference, Oxford, UK, September, 2011.

READ Searles Nielsen S, Gallagher LG, Lundin JI, Longstreth WT Jr, Farin FM, Smith-Weller T, Franklin GM, Swanson PD, Checkoway H. Genotype and Age at Parkinson Disease Diagnosis in a Health Maintenance Organization. World Federation of Neurology Neuroepidemiology Research Group meeting abstract. Neuroepidemiology 2011;36:134-140. (Also presented in Honolulu, Hawaii, April 2011)

Lundin JI, Checkoway H, Criswell S, Hobson A, Seixas N, Evanoff B, Sheppard L, Racette B. Increased risk of parkinsonism among welders. The 10th International Conference on Alzheimer's & Parkinson's Diseases. Barcelona, Spain, March 2011.

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