Function of the auditory and visual systems, and of peripheral nerve, in rats after long-term combined exposure to n-hexane and methylated benzene derivatives. II. Xylene.
Rats were exposed to xylene, to n-hexane, or to xylene together with n-hexane, each solvent 1000 p.p.m. (1000 + 1000 p.p.m. in mixed exposure), 18 hr/day, 7 days/week during 61 days. Neurophysiological recordings were made 2 days, 4 months, and 10 months after the end of exposure. Exposure to n-hexane alone, or xylene alone, caused a slight loss of auditory sensitivity as recorded by auditory brainstem response 2 days after the exposure. Exposure to n-hexane together with xylene caused persistent loss of auditory sensitivity (7-17 dB; P < 0.05) which was non-additively enhanced (P < 0.01). The latencies of the flash evoked potentials in the group exposed to n-hexane alone were prolonged (re C group) 2 days after exposure, while smaller prolongations were found in the group exposed to xylene together with n-hexane. Exposure to n-hexane alone caused a marked decrease in nerve conduction velocity, while simultaneous exposure to xylene inhibited n-hexane-induced velocity reduction in peripheral nerve (P < 0.01).
Nylén
P
P
Department of Neuromedicine, National Institute of Occupational Health, Solna, Sweden.
Hagman
M
M
D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000818:Animals; D001306:Auditory Pathways / Q000187:drug effects*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D004347:Drug Interactions; D016057:Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem / Q000187:drug effects; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual / Q000187:drug effects; D006586:Hexanes / Q000633:toxicity*; D008297:Male; D009132:Muscles / Q000187:drug effects; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000187:drug effects; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013997:Time Factors; D014795:Visual Pathways / Q000187:drug effects*; D014992:Xylenes / Q000633:toxicity*
D006586:Hexanes; D014992:Xylenes; C026385:n-hexane