Otoneurologic disturbances caused by solvent pollution

• Subjects exposed to industrial solvents may experience vertigo and nausea. Solvents are usually volatile hydrocarbon compounds, which are important parts of everyday life in a modern society. They may also cause neurastenia, personality changes, and reduced intellectual capacity. The syndrome that may develop was formerly named psycho-organic syndrome (POS), but in modern terminology it is called chronic toxic encephalopathy (CTE). The syndrome develops slowly, and during the first years no pathological findings will be found using various test batteries. Somewhat later, when the syndrome still might be reversible, psychometric, auditory, and otoneurologic testing may well unveil disturbances within the posterior fossa structures. Animal experiments suggest one site of effect for solvents to be within the cerebellum and brainstem regions with close relationship to the gamma-amino-butyric acid (GABA) transmission. In the otoneurologic test battery, visual suppression and smooth pursuit are of extreme value, as are some auditory tests such as discrimination of interrupted speech and cortical response audiometry using frequency glides as stimuli. Dynamic posturography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have recently proved valuable in the diagnosis. Research is needed concerning the most efficient test battery for early detection of solvent-induced lesions. During further research it is important to unveil other toxic agents, like heavy metals and alcohol, and their damage to the central nervous system and to make comparisons between these substances and the lesions caused by hydrocarbon solvents.

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