Severe dopaminergic pathways damage in a case of chronic toluene abuse.
BACKGROUND
Toluene toxicity primarily affects central nervous system white matter, causing a characteristic brain MRI pattern.


METHODS
A toluene addicted man, after an abstinence period and a treatment with neuroleptics, presented with severe worsening of preexisting generalized tremor, opsoclonus, dysarthria, gait inability, jerky tendon reflexes and behaviour disorders. Magnetic resonance imaging showed mild leukoencephalopathy and hypointensities in deep gray matter nuclei. The DaT-scan revealed a decrease in presynaptic dopamine reuptake.


CONCLUSIONS
Clinical and neuroradiological findings and the possible sensitivity to neuroleptics indicate dopaminergic impairment. Our case suggests that chronic toluene abuse causes presynaptic dopaminergic depletion.
Papageorgiou
Sokratis G
SG
Department of Neurology, Eginition Hospital, Medical School, Athens National University, Athens, Greece. sokpapa@med.uoa.gr
Karantoni
Evgenia
E
Pandis
Dionysios
D
Kouzoupis
Anastasios V
AV
Kalfakis
Nikolaos
N
Limouris
Georgios S
GS
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004298:Dopamine / Q000502:physiology*; D020233:Gait Disorders, Neurologic / Q000139:chemically induced; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000473:pathology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D020258:Neurotoxicity Syndromes / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology*; D000077152:Olanzapine; D012997:Solvents; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000473:pathology* / Q000523:psychology; D014050:Toluene; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon; D014202:Tremor / Q000139:chemically induced; D055815:Young Adult
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D012997:Solvents; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D014050:Toluene; D000077152:Olanzapine; D004298:Dopamine