Manganese produce a parkinsonism-like illness characterized by movement abnormalities. This condition is not responsive to typical therapies used in the treatment of PD, suggesting an alternative pathway than the typical dopaminergic loss within the substantia nigra. Manganese may accumulate in the basal ganglia, leading to the abnormal movements. A mutation of the SLC30A10 gene, a manganese efflux transporter necessary for decreasing intracellular Mn, has been linked with the development of this Parkinsonism-like disease. The Lewy bodies typical to PD are not seen in Mn-induced parkinsonism. Animal experiments have given the opportunity to examine the consequences of manganese overexposure under controlled conditions.
Methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl ferrocene, which has also been used as an additive to gasoline. Although of no practical value, the related compound cyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl (CH)Mn(CO) is also well studied. Up to two of the CO ligands in MMT can be replaced with thiocarbonyl groups, as illustrated by the compounds (CHCH)Mn(CS)CO and (CHCH)Mn(CS)(CO). The human and environmental health impacts that may result from the use of MMT will be a function of exposure to either: (1) MMT in its original, unchanged, chemical form and/or (2) manganese combustion products emitted from vehicles operating on gasoline containing MMT as an octane improver. The general public