Judy Aschner, M.D.

Chief of Neonatology and Professor of Pediatrics
M.D., University of Rochester, 1981 (Medicine)

Manganese (Mn), an element found in many foods, is an important and essential nutrient for proper health and maintenance. It is toxic in high doses, however, and exposure to excessive levels can result in the onset of a neurological disorder similar to, but distinct from, Parkinson's disease. Historically, Mn neurotoxicity was most commonly associated with various occupations, such as Mn mining, welding, steel production, and dry cell battery production. More recently, increases in both blood and brain Mn levels have been observed in persons with liver disease or those receiving prolonged parenteral nutrition. Sick infants requiring parenteral nutrition may be at increased risk for Mn neurotoxicity because neonatal parenteral nutrition solutions contain high concentrations of Mn, parenteral nutrition bypasses the normal intestinal absorptive control and biliary excretory mechanisms for Mn, and infants are at a critical stage of brain development. Furthermore, iron (Fe) deficiency, a common problem among sick neonates, increases Mn brain uptake because Mn and Fe compete for the same carrier transport systems in the central nervous system. Dr. Aschner is currently conducting clinical studies to test the hypotheses that infants and young children receiving prolonged Mn-supplemented parenteral nutrition will have increased deposition of Mn in their brains and lower scores on neurodevelopmental, cognitive, and psychophysiological assessments compared to unexposed, age-matched controls. Improved understanding of the relationships between Mn exposure and developmental outcomes will undoubtedly lead to altered clinical practices and more careful monitoring of Mn intake and blood and/or brain Mn levels in high risk infants and may also impact on the management of Mn exposure in adults.

Recent Publications

Fitsanakis VA, Piccola G, Marreilha dos Santos AP, Aschner JL, Aschner M. Putative proteins involved in manganese transport across the blood-brain barrier. Hum Exp Toxicol. 2007 26:295-302. Review.

Milatovic D, Yin Z, Gupta RC, Sidoryk M, Albrecht J, Aschner JL, Aschner M. Manganese induces oxidative impairment in cultured rat astrocytes. Toxicol Sci. 2007 98:198-205.

Aschner JL, Walsh MC. Long-term outcomes: what should the focus be? Clin Perinatol. 2007 34:205-17, ix. Review.

Aschner JL, Foster SL, Kaplowitz M, Zhang Y, Zeng H, Fike CD. Heat shock protein 90 modulates endothelial nitric oxide synthase activity and vascular reactivity in the newborn piglet pulmonary circulation. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2007 292:L1515-25.

Chen JX, Zeng H, Tuo QH, Yu H, Meyrick B, Aschner JL. NADPH oxidase modulates myocardial Akt, ERK1/2 activation, and angiogenesis after hypoxia-reoxygenation. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2007 292:H1664-74.

Yin Z, Milatovic D, Aschner JL, Syversen T, Rocha JB, Souza DO, Sidoryk M, Albrecht J, Aschner M. Methylmercury induces oxidative injury, alterations in permeability and glutamine transport in cultured astrocytes. Brain Res. 2007 1131:1-10.

Mutkus L, Aschner JL, Syversen T, Shanker G, Sonnewald U, Aschner M. Mercuric chloride inhibits the in vitro uptake of glutamate in GLAST- and GLT-1-transfected mutant CHO-K1 cells. Biol Trace Elem Res. 2006 109:267-80.

Fitsanakis VA, Zhang N, Avison MJ, Gore JC, Aschner JL, Aschner M. The use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the study of manganese neurotoxicity. Neurotoxicology. 2006 27:798-806.

Fitsanakis VA, Piccola G, Aschner JL, Aschner M. Characteristics of manganese (Mn) transport in rat brain endothelial (RBE4) cells, an in vitro model of the blood-brain barrier. Neurotoxicology. 2006 27:60-70.