Vulnerability to Stress and Depression Risk Related to Occupational Exposure to Aluminum

Occupational exposure to aluminum was reported to be associated with various neurotoxic effects including cognitive impairment, depression, anxiety, and also Alzheimer’s disease. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the level of vulnerability to stress in workers exposed to aluminum. The correlation between vulnerability to stress and depression was also investigated. This was a retrospective study that included 135 participants, 99 were exposed to aluminum, and 36 were not exposed to aluminum. Vulnerability to stress and depression was assessed using a self-rating scale developed in-house. Vulnerability to stress was reported in various degrees in a total of 84 participants, 69 (69.70%) participants from the exposed group and 15 (41.67%) participants from the control group. Out of the 84 participants with vulnerability to stress, 51 had depression also. Excellent resistance to stress was reported in 51 out of 135 participants, 30 (30.30%) in the exposed group and 21 (58.33%) in the control group. Out of the 51 participants with excellent resistance to stress, only 2 participants had depression. The results of the present study suggested that exposure to aluminum is correlated with vulnerability to stress. The level of vulnerability to stress is increasing with the level of exposure to aluminum. Furthermore, since vulnerability to stress is correlated with depression, higher exposure to aluminum might be a risk factor for depression.