Abstract
The object of this study was to examine the immediate nervous effects of variable 1,1,1-trichloroethane (TCE) exposure combined with physical exercise. The effects on the quantitative electroencephalography (EEG), visual evoked potentials (VEP) and body sway were analyzed. Nine male volunteers were exposed to either a stable or a fluctuating exposure pattern with the same time-weighted average concentration of 200 ppm (8.1 μmol/l). In both cases, the subjects engaged in physical exercise during the exposures. Exercise alone induced an increase in the dominant alpha frequency in the EEG and, after an initial drop, an increase in the alpha percentage with a concomitant decrease in theta, whereas delta and beta bands remained unaffected. By contrast, exposure to TCE and exercise did not affect the alpha, theta or delta activities but induced changes in beta during the morning recordings at peak exposure to TCE. The body sway tended to decrease slightly during the fluctuating TCE exposure, and the later peaks in VEPs showed slight prolongations. Overall, no deleterious effects of exposure were noted.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
CEFIC (1984) 1,1,1-Trichloroethane, in metal cleaning and other industrial solvents. Conseil Européen Des Fédérations De L'Industrie Chimique, Brussels
Docter RF, Naitoh P, Smith JC (1966) Electroencephalographic changes and vigilance behavior during experimentally induced intoxication with alcoholic subjects. Psychosom Med 28:605–615
Fink M (1978) Psychoactive drugs and the waking EEG 1966–1976 In: Lipton MA, DiMascio A, Killam KF (eds) Psychopharmacology: a generation of progress. Raven Press New York, pp 691–698
Gamberale F, Hultengren M (1973) Methylchloroform, exposure. II. Psychophysiological functions. Work Environ Health 10:82–92.
Gamberale F, Annwall G, Hultengren M (1978) Exposure to xylene and ethylbenzene III. Effects on central nervous functions. Scand J Work Environ Health 4:204–211
Halevy J, Pitlik S, Rosenfeld J (1980) 1,1,1-Trichloroethane intoxication: a case report with transient liver and renal damage. Review of the literature. Clin Toxicol 16:467–472
Hermann WM, Schaerer E (1986) Pharmaco-EEG: computer EEG analysis to describe the projection of drug effects on a functional cerebral level in humans. In: Lopes da Silva FH, Storm van Leeuwen W, Rémond A (eds) Clinical applications of computer analysis of EEG and other neurophysiological signals. (Handbook of electroenchephalography and clinical neurophysiology, vol 2) Elsevier, Amsterdam.
Herning RI, Jones RT, Hooker WD, Mendelson J, Blackwell L (1985) Cocaine increases EEG beta: a replication and extension of Hans Berger's historic experiments. Electroencephalogr Clin Neurophysiol 60:470–477
Iregren A, Akerstedt T, Anshelm B, Gamberale F (1986) Experimental exposure to toluene in combination with ethanol intake. Scand J Work Environ Health 12:128–136
Kalant H (1970) Effects of ethanol on the nervous system. In: Tremolières J (ed) Alconols and derivatives. (International encyclopedia of pharmacology and therapeutics, sect 20, vol I) Pergamon Press, Oxford, pp 189–236
Konietzko H, Elster I, Bencsath A, Drysch K, Weichardt H (1975) EEG-Veränderungen unter definierter Trichloräthylen-Exposition. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 35:257–264
Kramer CG, Ott MG, Fulkerson JE, Hicks N, Imbus HR (1978) Health of workers exposed to 1,1,1-trichloroethane. A matchedpair study. Arch Environ Health 6:331–342
Mackay CJ, Campbell L, Samuel AM, Alderman KJ, Idzikowski C, Wilson HK, Gompertz D (1987) Behavioral changes during exposure to 1,1,1-trichloroethane: time-course and relationship to blood solvent levels. Am J Ind Med 11:223–239
Maroni M, Bulgheroni C, Cassitto MG, Merluzzi F, Gilioli R, Fao V (1977) A clinical, neurophysiological and behavioral study of female workers exposed to 1,1,1-trichloroethane. Scand J Work Environ Health 3:16–22
Matousek M, Petersén I (1983) A method for assessing alertness fluctuations from EEG spectra. Electroencephalogr Clin Neurophysiol 55:108–113
McCarthy TB, Jones RD (1983) Industrial gassing poisonings due to trichloroethylene, perchloroethylene, and 1,1,1-trichloroethane, 1961–80. Br J Ind Med 40:450–455
Obitz FW, Rhodes LE, Creel D (1977) Effect of alcohol and monetary reward on visually evoked potentials and reaction time. J Stud Alcohol 38:2057–2064
Richards JE, Parmelee AH Jr, Beckwith L (1986) Spectral analysis of infant EEG and behavioral outcome at age five. Electroencephalogr Clin Neurophysiol 64:1–11
Riihimäki V, Pfäffli P (1978) Percutaneous absorption of solvent vapor in man. Scand J Work Environ Health 4:73–85
Riihimäki V, Savolainen K (1980) Human exposure tom-xylene. Kinetics and acute effects on the central nervous system. Ann Occup Hyg 23:411–422
Salvini M, Binaschi S, Riva M (1971) Evaluation of the psychophysiological functions in humans exposed to “Threshold Limit Value” of 1,1,1-trichloroethane. Br J Ind Med 283:268–292
Savolainen K (1980) Combined effects of xylene and alcohol on the central nervous system. Acta Pharmacol Toxicol 46:366–372
Savolainen K, Linnavuo M (1979) Effects ofm-xylene on human equilibrium measured with a quantitative method. Acta Pharmacol Toxicol 44:315–318
Savolainen K, Riihimäki V, Linnoila M (1979) Effects of shortterm xylene exposure on psychophysiological functions in man. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 44:201–211
Savolainen K, Riihimäki V, Seppäläinen AM, Linnoila M (1980) Effects of short-termm-xylene exposure and physical exercise on the central nervous system. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 45:105–121
Savolainen K, Riihimäki V, Laine A, Kekoni J (1981) Shortterm exposure of human subjects tom-xylene and 1,1,1-trichloro ethane. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 49:89–98
Savolainen K, Riihimäki V, Laine A (1982) Biphasic effects of inhaled solvents on human equilibrium. Acta Pharmacol Toxicol 51:237–242
Savolainen K, Riihimäki V, Muona O, Kekoni I, Luukkonen R, Laine A (1985) Conversely exposure-related effects between, atmosphericm-xylene concentrations and human body sense of balance. Acta Pharmacol Toxicol 57:67–71
Schwarz K, Kielholz P, Hobi L, et al (1981) Alcohol-induced biphasic background and stimulus-elicited EEG changes in relation to blood alcohol levels. Int J Clin Pharmacol Ther Toxicol 19:102–111
Seppäläinen AM (1988) Neurophysiological approaches to the detection of early neurotoxicity in humans. Crit Rev Toxicol 184:245–298
Seppäläinen AM, Salmi T, Savolainen K, Riihimäki V (1983) Visual evoked potentials in short-term exposure of human subjects tom-xylene and 1,1,1-trichloroethane. In: Zbinden G, Cuomo V, Racagni G, Weiss B (eds) Application of behavioral pharmacology in toxicology. Raven Press, New York
Seppäläinen AM, Laine A, Salmi T, Riihimäki V, Verkkala E (1989) Changes induced by short-term xylene exposure in human evoked potentials. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 61:443–449
Seppäläinen AM, Laine A, Salmi T, Verkkala E, Riihimäki V, Luukkonen R (1991) Electroencephalographic findings during experimental human exposure tom-xylene. Arch Environ Health 46:16–24
Stewart RD, Gay HH, Schaffer AW, Erley DS, Rowe VK (1969) Experimental human exposure to methyl chloroform vapor. Arch Environ Health 19:379–387
Torkelson TR, Oyen F, McCollister DD, Rowe VK (1985) Toxicity of 1,1,1-trichloroethane as determined on laboratory animals and human subjects. Am Ind Hyg Assoc J 19:353–362
World Medical Association (1975). The Declaration of Helsinki. Recommendations guiding doctors in biomedical research involving human subjects. Adopted by the 18th World Medical Assembly, Helsinki, Finland, 1964, and revised by the 29th World Medical Assembly. Tokyo, Japan
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Laine, A., Seppäläinen, A.M., Savolainen, K. et al. Acute effects of 1,1,1-trichloroethane inhalation on the human central nervous system. Int. Arch Occup Environ Heath 69, 53–61 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02630739
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02630739