A method to induce manganese accumulation in the brain of the cirrhotic rat and its evaluation.

Cirrhotic patients tend to accumulate manganese in their brain, especially in basal ganglia. Manganese is a well-known neurotoxic metal, however, its effect in a condition such as liver damage has not been explored deeply due to the lack of a suitable experimental model. A method to induce manganese accumulation in the brain of the cirrhotic rat is described. Cirrhosis was induced by obstruction of biliary duct and simultaneous treatment with manganese in the drinking water (0.5 or 1 mg/ml) during 4 weeks. Metal brain accumulation was low in sham-operated rats with both of the Mn concentrations used. In contrast, manganese treatment to bile obstructed rats resulted in fourfold and eightfold metal increments in the 0.5 and 1 mg/ml Mn2+ concentrations, respectively. This method is useful to induce brain manganese deposition and to study its consequences.