Comparative sensitivity of children and adults to neurological effects of inhaled manganese
On this page:
To evaluated comparative susceptibility to neurological effects of Mn in children and adults, we identified paired studies based on concordant Mn source, biomarker, and outcome. Comparisons were made based on slope of the observed dose-response (children:adults).We identified five studies evaluating seven pairings of hair Mn and neurological outcomes in child and adult populations with environmental Mn inhalation exposure. Two Brazilian studies of children (ages 6-12) and one of adults reported effects on IQ; effects in both comparisons were stronger in children (203% and 121%). A paired study of children and adults in Ohio reported effects on five metrics of postural sway; children exhibited both stronger and weaker effects compared to adults (175% to 69%). Preliminary results suggest that a default UFH =10 is sufficient for considering variations in neurological effects by lifestage. This conclusion should be interpreted with caution, given the limited available paired studies