Neuropsychological deficit among elderly workers in aluminum production.
A cross-sectional study was conducted at a Norwegian primary aluminum plant. All workers aged 61-66 years were offered early retirement benefits. Among the workers, 47 met the study criteria and 38 (81%), comprising 14 potroom workers, 8 foundry workers, and 16 controls, volunteered to participate. They were tested with a neuropsychological test battery. Workers in potrooms with Søderberg electrolytic cells were found to show signs of impairment of the nervous system. A test for tremor discriminated significantly between the potroom group and the controls. There was a suggestion of increased risk of impaired visuospatial organization and a tendency to a decline in psychomotor tempo in the potroom workers. We suggest that the above findings may be related to long-term occupational exposure in the potroom, and further to chronic low-dose exposure to aluminum.
Bast-Pettersen
R
R
National Institute of Occupational Health, Oslo, Norway.
Drabløs
P A
PA
Goffeng
L O
LO
Thomassen
Y
Y
Torres
C G
CG
D000368:Aged; D000535:Aluminum / Q000633:toxicity*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D009664:Norway; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D011581:Psychological Tests; D011597:Psychomotor Performance
D000535:Aluminum