Could mitochondrial dysfunction play a role in manganese toxicity?

Individuals suffering from manganese toxicity exhibit several symptoms, including mitochondrial dysfunction, which are similar to those frequently observed in cases of Parkinson's disease. We review the literature concerning manganese toxicity and mitochondrial function, and propose a simple conceptual model of the aetiology of manganese toxicity which involves an interaction between inhibition of mitochondrial energy transduction, generation of free radicals and mutations of the mitochondrial genome. This conceptual model prompts a number of relatively simple experiments which would provide a test of the model. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.