title: Corpus callosum volume in railroad workers with chronic exposure to solvents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Changes to cognition and behavior have been reported after long-term exposure to solvents. Solvents are hypothesized to affect brain white matter. To test this, we examined the volume of the corpus callosum in workers with a history of exposure to solvents.
  
  
  METHODS
  We manually traced (blind to group membership) the volume of the corpus callosum in 31 railroad workers and 31 matched controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a decrease in the genu of the corpus callosum in the solvent-exposed workers compared with controls. A smaller volume of the genu of the corpus callosum was associated with greater exposure and worse performance on cognitive tasks.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study supports the hypothesis that occupational exposure to solvents affects the anterior white matter of the brain and is related to extent of exposure and degree of cognitive change.
authors.affiliation: Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, USA. mhaut@hsc.wvu.edu
authors.forename: Marc W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Haut
authors.forename: Hiroto
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kuwabara
authors.forename: Alan M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Ducatman
authors.forename: Ginger
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hatfield
authors.forename: Michael W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Parsons
authors.forename: Allene
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Parsons
authors.forename: Lisa A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Morrow
mesh_terms: D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects; D003337:Corpus Callosum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D011890:Railroads; D012997:Solvents / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D012997:Solvents