Assessment of the peripheral, central, and autonomic nervous system function in styrene workers
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, (Japan)
To investigate the effects of styrene exposure on peripheral, central, and autonomic nervous system functions in man, we measured the distribution of nerve conduction velocities (DCV), short-latency somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEP), and variability in electrocardiographic R-R interval (CVRR) as well as conventional sensory and motor median nerve conduction velocities (SCV and MCV) in eleven styrene-exposed workers. The styrene workers' urinary phenylglyoxylic acid levels ranged from 31 to 419 (mean 169) mg/g creatinine at the end of the work shift on the examination day (estimated exposure to styrene of 22 ppm in air). Control subjects, matched to each styrene worker by sex and age, were selected from healthy adults without cardiovascular, neurologic and other potentially confounding disorders. In the styrene workers, we found that the V80 velocity of the DCV, below which 80% of active nerve fibers lie, and the SCV were both significantly slowed; the CVRR was also significantly reduced. There were no significant differences in SSEP latencies, MCV, or heart rate between the exposed workers and controls. These data, despite the small sample size, suggest that styrene affects the faster myelinated fibers of the peripheral sensory nerves, and that it also affects autonomic nervous activity.
- OSTI ID:
- 5308723
- Journal Information:
- American Journal of Industrial Medicine; (United States), Journal Name: American Journal of Industrial Medicine; (United States) Vol. 20:6; ISSN AJIMD; ISSN 0271-3586
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ALKYLATED AROMATICS
AROMATICS
DISEASES
ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
HYDROCARBONS
NERVOUS SYSTEM
NERVOUS SYSTEM DISEASES
OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PERSONNEL
PHYSIOLOGY
SENSITIVITY
STYRENE