PMID- 33677379 OWN - NLM STAT- MEDLINE DCOM- 20210407 LR - 20210407 IS - 1090-2414 (Electronic) IS - 0147-6513 (Linking) VI - 214 DP - 2021 May TI - Increased aluminum and lithium and decreased zinc levels in plasma is related to cognitive impairment in workers at an aluminum factory in China: A cross-sectional study. PG - 112110 LID - S0147-6513(21)00221-9 [pii] LID - 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2021.112110 [doi] AB - BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown that multiple imbalances of metal ions in the brain are closely associated with the neurodegenerative disorders. Our studies have shown that long-term working exposure to aluminum induces increased plasma aluminum levels and causes cognitive impairment in workers at aluminum factories. OBJECTIVE: To explore the levels of nine metals in plasma and the effect on cognitive function among in-service workers. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, cognitive function was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), which included seven subitems: executive/visuospatial abilities; naming; attention and calculation; language; abstract; recall; and orientation. The plasma levels of nine kinds of metals were measured by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). A multivariate generalized linear regression model and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) were selected to estimate the relationship between metal plasma level and MoCA scores with adjustment for confounders. RESULTS: One hundred and eighty-seven workers participated in this study. In the multivariable generalized linear model, among these nine metals studied, five were related to the MoCA score: aluminum, lithium, cobalt, zinc and chromium. In the BKMR model, a significantly negative correlation between the plasma aluminum, lithium and the total MoCA score was observed. Moreover, for subitems on the MoCA scale, the plasma levels of lithium, aluminum, and zinc had a significant correlation with the executive/visuospatial abilities, naming, and orientation abilities, respectively. The log-transformation concentrations of plasma aluminum and lithium were negatively correlated with the executive/visuospatial abilities and naming abilities, respectively. The log-transformation plasma zinc concentration was positively correlated with orientation abilities. CONCLUSION: Based on the results, we determined that increased aluminum and lithium and decreased zinc levels in plasma were associated with the incidence of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in workers at a Chinese aluminum plant. CI - Copyright (c) 2021. Published by Elsevier Inc. FAU - Shang, Nan AU - Shang N AD - Department of Pharmacy, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030001, China; Department of Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030001, China. FAU - Zhang, Lan AU - Zhang L AD - Department of Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030001, China. FAU - Wang, Shuo AU - Wang S AD - Department of Physical and Chemical, Beijing Chaoyang District Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100021, China. FAU - Huang, Tao AU - Huang T AD - Department of Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030001, China. FAU - Wang, Yanhong AU - Wang Y AD - Department of Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030001, China. FAU - Gao, Xiaocheng AU - Gao X AD - Department of Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030001, China. FAU - Xu, Shimeng AU - Xu S AD - Department of Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030001, China. FAU - Zhang, Jingqi AU - Zhang J AD - Department of Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030001, China. FAU - Zhang, Ling AU - Zhang L AD - Department of Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030001, China. FAU - Niu, Qiao AU - Niu Q AD - Department of Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030001, China. FAU - Zhang, Qinli AU - Zhang Q AD - Department of Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030001, China. Electronic address: zhangql9306111@gmail.com. LA - eng PT - Journal Article DEP - 20210305 PL - Netherlands TA - Ecotoxicol Environ Saf JT - Ecotoxicology and environmental safety JID - 7805381 RN - 0 (Air Pollutants, Occupational) RN - 0 (Metals) SB - IM MH - Adult MH - Air Pollutants, Occupational/*blood MH - China/epidemiology MH - Cognition MH - Cognitive Dysfunction/blood/*epidemiology MH - Cross-Sectional Studies MH - Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry MH - Humans MH - Male MH - Metallurgy MH - Metals/*blood MH - Middle Aged MH - Neuropsychological Tests MH - Young Adult OTO - NOTNLM OT - Aluminum OT - Aluminum factory OT - Lithium OT - Mild cognitive impairment OT - Zinc EDAT- 2021/03/08 06:00 MHDA- 2021/04/10 06:00 CRDT- 2021/03/07 20:38 PHST- 2020/09/01 00:00 [received] PHST- 2021/02/21 00:00 [revised] PHST- 2021/02/25 00:00 [accepted] PHST- 2021/03/08 06:00 [pubmed] PHST- 2021/04/10 06:00 [medline] PHST- 2021/03/07 20:38 [entrez] AID - S0147-6513(21)00221-9 [pii] AID - 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2021.112110 [doi] PST - ppublish SO - Ecotoxicol Environ Saf. 2021 May;214:112110. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2021.112110. Epub 2021 Mar 5.