Effects of methanol vapor on human neurobehavioral measures. Research report, Jul 88-Oct 90

Technical Report · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1991

OSTI ID:6194686

Cook, M R; Bergman, F J; Cohen, H D; Gerkovich, M M; Graham, C

Methanol may become an important alternative fuel for vehicles in the near future. The objective of the preliminary study was to determine if inhalation exposure to methanol, near the maximum concentration allowed for an eight-hour average exposure in the workplace (200 ppm), would have adverse effects on human neurobehavioral functions. Twelve healthy young men were exposed twice to filtered air and twice to 192 ppm methanol vapors for 75 minutes on different days under double-blind conditions. Twenty-two neurobehavioral and neurophysiological tests were administered before, during, and after exposure to measure visual, behavioral, reasoning, and hearing functions. Exposure to methanol produced significant increases in blood and urine methanol concentration at the end of the exposure period. As expected, no changes in plasma formate were observed. Methanol exposure had no effect on the subjects' performance on most of the tests. However, some methanol-exposed subjects reported more fatigue and lack of concentration. Performance was also slightly impaired on the Sternberg memory task. There were also changes in the latency of the P200 component of the visual- and auditory-event related potential. These effects were small and did not exceed the range of results measured in filtered air-exposed subjects.

• Research Organization: Midwest Research Inst., Kansas City, MO (United States). Life Sciences Dept.
• OSTI ID: 6194686
• Report Number(s): PB-91-243253/XAB
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Sponsored by Health Effects Inst., Cambridge, MA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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