Manganese-Induced Parkinsonism in a Patient Undergoing Maintenance Hemodialysis

We report a rare case of manganese (Mn)-induced parkinsonism in a patient on maintenance hemodialysis therapy who complained of gait disturbance and dysarthria. His symptoms and abnormal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of the brain were thought to be caused, at least in part, by long-term ingestion of a health supplement (Chlorella extract) that contained 1.7 mg of Mn in the usual daily dose. Elevated serum and cerebrospinal fluid Mn levels were detected, and brain MRI showed areas of abnormal intensity in the bilateral basal ganglia (low intensity on T1-weighted images and high intensity on T2-weighted images). Edetic acid infusion therapy dramatically improved the MRI abnormalities, after which his symptoms gradually improved 4 months later.