Cynthia H. Kern, Ph.D., et al, Neurotoxicity of Neonatal Manganese Exposure

The Violence Research Foundation, in an over 20 year effort to clarify the link between excessive manganese intake and violent behavior, partially funded this 2009 study. Recently published (SYNAPSE, May, 2010) this study by Cynthia H. Kern, Ph.D., et al, of the University of California, Santa Cruz, entitled “Neurotoxicity of Neonatal Manganese Exposure”, “strongly substantiated the need for comprehensive research into the causal relationships between elevated manganese exposure and neurocognitive deficits in infants and children to aid in establishing appropriate threshold limit values for children exposed to manganese”. The research suggests environmentally relevant pre-weaning (infant) manganese exposure results in learning and behavior deficits associated with the central nervous system inflammatory response and alterations in components of the dopaminergic system persisting into adulthood. Dr. Kern hopes her research is “a loud call for all to pay attention to what we are dumping into our kids’ developing bodies.”

Earlier studies at the University of California, Davis, three rat and one primate, were conducted to address concerns about exposure to the high levels of manganese in soy based infant formula, which is known to be able to destroy the dopamine neurotransmitter. The scientists reported on all four studies that significant destruction of the dopamine neurotransmitter had taken place in all four groups, which received manganese equal to that found in soy based infant formula.

Dr. Mari Golub, et al, Neurobehavioral evaluation of rhesus monkey infants fed cow’s milk formula, soy formula, or soy formula with added manganese

The possible neurobehavioral effects of excess manganese in soy formula were studied. This experiment suggests that components of soy formula, including manganese, may influence brain development as reflected in behavioral measures. This newborn primate study results were presented Dr. Mari Golub before the California Assembly Public Safety Committee, chaired by Assemblyman Mark Leno in November 2004. The topic of the hearing was “Is there a relationship between elevated manganese levels and violent behavior?”

Dr. Trinh T. Tran, et al, Effect of High Dietary Manganese Intake of Neonatal Rats on tissue Mineral Accumulation, Striatal Dopamine Levels, and Neurodevelopment Status

Recent reports of high manganese levels in hair of children with neurodevelopmental deficits suggest that these deficits could be to manganese-induced neurotoxic effects on brain dopamine (DA) systems. Infant formulas contain considerably higher concentrations of manganese than human milk. Thus, formula-fed infants are exposed to high levels of manganese at a time when manganese homeostasis is incompletely developed.

Dr. Trinh T. Tran, et al, Effects of Neonatal Dietary Manganese Exposure on Brain Dopamine Levels and Neurocognitive Functions

Neonatal exposure to high levels of manganese has been indirectly implicated as a causal agent in attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), since manganese toxicity and ADHD both involve dysfunction in brain dopamine (DA) systems.

Dr. Bo Lönnerdal, et al, Trace Element Absorption in Infants as a Foundation to Setting Uppper Limits for Trace Elements in Infant Formulas

An infant’s ability to efficiently absorb trace minerals, such as iron, zinc, copper and manganese from their food source is influenced not only by the form in which the minerals are presented but also by the presence of nutrients like lactoferrin which is present in human breast milk. Bioavailability is the degree to which, or the rate at which, a substance is absorbed or becomes available at the targeted place in the body. An upper limit for the concentration of a trace element in infant formula should be founded on the bioavailability of that element from formula with the provision of a “reasonable” safely margin.

Dr. Frank Crinella, Does soy-based infant formula cause ADHD?

Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most prevalent of all childhood neuropsychiatric conditions. Studies indicate that the core defect in ADHD is an atypical functioning in the brain’s dopamine system. Given the evidence that manganese affects the brain’s dopamine systems, investigators hypothesize a causal relationship between neonatal exposure to soy-based infant formula and ADHD. Soy-based infant formulae have high concentrations of manganese, up to 80 times the levels found in human breast milk.