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Neuropsychological deficit among elderly workers in aluminum production
Author(s) -
BastPettersen Rita,
Drabløs Per Arne,
Goffeng Lars Ole,
Thomassen Yngvar,
Torres Carl G.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
american journal of industrial medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.7
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1097-0274
pISSN - 0271-3586
DOI - 10.1002/ajim.4700250505
Subject(s) - medicine , neuropsychology , neuropsychological test , psychomotor learning , norwegian , environmental health , occupational safety and health , occupational medicine , occupational exposure , physical therapy , psychiatry , cognition , pathology , linguistics , philosophy
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. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.