Cognitive impairment and olfactory panic from occupational exposure to VOCs.
BACKGROUND
A Canadian government clerical worker in her early thirties developed frontal lobe dysfunction from inhalation of volatile organic compounds off-gassed during an office renovation.


METHODS
Pulmonary function, bronchial provocation, allergy testing, and a brain (SPECT) scan were performed.


RESULTS
SPECT scanning showed frontotemporal hypoperfusion and neuropsychologic testing revealed deficits in verbal learning and poor organizational memory.


CONCLUSIONS
A significant component of this worker's impairment was the development of "olfactory panic," a debilitating aversion to odor accompanied by symptoms of panic. The Ontario Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeals Tribunal granted entitlement for her cognitive difficulties and olfactory panic as a result of her toxic exposure.
Reinhartz
Abe
A
Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers (OHCOW), Sarnia, Ontario, Canada. abe_reinhartz@yahoo.ca
D000328:Adult; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000187:drug effects; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced*; D003510:Cyclohexanes / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000098:blood supply / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000139:chemically induced; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D000857:Olfaction Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced*; D010200:Panic; D020058:Styrene / Q000009:adverse effects; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000098:blood supply / Q000187:drug effects; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon; D014240:Trichloroethanes / Q000009:adverse effects; D014706:Verbal Learning / Q000187:drug effects
D003510:Cyclohexanes; D014240:Trichloroethanes; D020058:Styrene; C080904:4-phenylcyclohexene