title: Multiple chemical sensitivities--syndrome and solution.
abstract: After describing two patients seen by the author, we define multiple chemical sensitivities and discuss the scope of the problem and the epidemiology. Although the incidence of multiple chemical sensitivities is not known, the demographics are similar to that of agoraphobia. The classical conditioning model is proposed as a useful description of multiple chemical sensitivities. The desensitization approach to the diagnosis and treatment is proposed. Results with three patients were encouraging and the approach seems worthy of further evaluation and refinement.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular, Respiratory and Neurologic Devices, Food and Drug Administration, Rockville, MD 20850.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Spyker
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018777:Multiple Chemical Sensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*