South African Manganese Exposure and Brain Health in a Long-Term Cohort
Official title: South African Manganese EnvironmentaL NeuroToxic Effects Research (SMELTER)
Funded at St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center · NIH-11536639 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study in an African community exposed to manganese pollution aims to understand whether exposure accelerates motor and thinking problems over time, with potential to guide protections for affected residents.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Phoenix, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $156,845 |
| NIH project number | 3R01ES035388-03S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11536639 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are residents from Meyerton and the reference community who have documented manganese exposure and are willing to contribute follow-up information and samples.
✕Less likely to help
Participants without exposure or with conditions not related to manganese may see limited direct benefit.
What this research studies
This NIH-funded project follows a cohort of hundreds of residents, many exposed to manganese emissions from a major smelter, to track how exposure relates to movement and cognitive health over several years. Researchers have already developed language-appropriate assessment tools and collected environmental measurements, motor scores, and mood and cognitive tests. The team will analyze longitudinal data to see how motor and cognitive changes unfold with ongoing exposure, building on prior cross-sectional findings. The work could help identify at-risk populations and inform policies to reduce exposure and protect brain health.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the study could lead to better risk guidelines and interventions to protect communities from manganese-related brain health problems.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work in this cohort showed poorer motor and cognitive outcomes associated with high manganese exposure; this study adds longitudinal insight.
Where this research is happening
-
St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center
Phoenix, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Racette, Brad a — St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Racette, Brad a
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.