title: Neurobehavioral disturbances arising from occupational toluene exposure.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Neurotoxicity of long-term exposure to toluene is known at higher levels than 50 ppm and is suspected at lower levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study carried out in two printing plants on 129 blue collar workers explored such a low level exposure of toluene. With 231 samples of ambient air, toluene concentration was estimated from 0 to 18 ppm in Plant A (offset) and from 2 to 27 ppm in Plant B (heliogravure). Outside any period of acute exposure, the workers answered a self-administered questionnaire on neurotoxic symptoms, EUROQUEST, and performed six psychometric tests on a computer-assisted version of battery NES.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After adjustment for confounders, we found significant relationships only between present exposure and Digit Span Forwards (DSF) performance (decrement is 1 digit for 40 ppm, P=0.04) and Digit Span Backwards (DSB) performance (decrement is 1 digit for 25 ppm, P=0.01). Neurotoxic symptoms were not significantly correlated with current exposure. No association was found between estimated cumulative exposure and either psychometric performances or neurotoxic symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study, low present exposure levels to toluene were associated with decrements of memory test performances.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, French National Research and Safety Institute for the Prevention of Occupational Accidents and Diseases, Vandoeuvre, Cedex, France. chouaniere@inrs.fr
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chouanière
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wild
authors.forename: Jean-Marc
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Fontana
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Héry
authors.forename: Maryvonne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fournier
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Baudin
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Subra
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rousselle
authors.forename: Jean-Paul
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Toamain
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saurin
authors.forename: Marie-Rose
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Ardiot
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D020258:Neurotoxicity Syndromes / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D011327:Printing; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012997:Solvents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013995:Time; D014050:Toluene / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D012997:Solvents; D014050:Toluene