Effects of chronic inhalation of volatile solvents, malnutrition and their interaction on seizures induced by pentylenetetrazole in rats.

Chronic inhalation of volatile solvents induce severe brain damage. In humans, intense exposure to volatile solvents for recreational purposes is frequently associated with chronic malnutrition. We studied in rats the effects of chronic inhalation of volatile solvents and malnutrition, alone and combined, on the seizures induced by pentylenetetrazole. Animals were subjected to 14 months of either normal rodent diet or malnutrition induced by a diet based on corn derivatives; some animals were subjected for the last 4 months to daily inhalation of volatile solvents (paint thinner). Afterwards, a trial of pentylenetetrazole-induced seizures was conducted in all animals. When compared with controls, malnutrition, chronic inhalation of volatile solvents and their combination greatly reduced the threshold for both, the forebrain and the brain stem components of seizures. However, an expected lowering of the threshold when malnutrition and solvent inhalation were combined was not observed when compared with each condition alone. It is possible that malnutrition plus solvents exposure induce severe brain damage that interferes with the brain structures involved in the propagation of epileptic seizures.