Benignus V A
Neurotoxicology. 1981 Nov;2(3):567-88.
This evaluative review covers the neurotoxic effects of toluene. General health effects of toluene are also discussed in more limited detail. A brief description of chemical properties and environmental prevalence is given, followed by a review of pharmacokinetic data. General health effects include lethality, growth, morbidity, liver and kidney damage and miscellaneous effects. Neurobehavioral effects include epidemiological and clinical findings, activity and sleep, performance and learning, electrophysiological and central-nervous-system (CNS) effects. Evaluation and synthesis of data is included. It was concluded that low level exposure to toluene has its primary effect on the CNS. From a systematic or general point of view it is not clear what this effect is. Both depressant and excitatory effects (possibly concentration dependent) were reported as well as other kinds of results. Other health effects were not life threatening at any exposure level short of that producing lethality. Effects were reversible even at extremely high exposure levels for very long durations. Problems in research and needed data are pointed out. Given the economic importance and ubiquity of toluene, more information about its behavioral and neurological effects is sorely needed.
本评估性综述涵盖了甲苯的神经毒性作用。同时也较为有限地详细讨论了甲苯对总体健康的影响。文中给出了甲苯化学性质和环境普遍存在情况的简要描述，随后是对药代动力学数据的综述。对总体健康的影响包括致死性、生长、发病率、肝和肾损伤以及其他各种影响。神经行为学影响包括流行病学和临床研究结果、活动与睡眠、行为表现与学习、电生理学及中枢神经系统（CNS）影响。文中还包括了数据的评估与综合分析。得出的结论是，低水平接触甲苯主要影响中枢神经系统。从系统或总体角度来看，尚不清楚这种影响具体是什么。既有关于抑制作用和兴奋作用（可能与浓度有关）的报道，也有其他类型的结果。在未达到致死剂量的任何接触水平下，其他健康影响均不危及生命。即使在极高接触水平且持续很长时间的情况下，影响也是可逆的。文中指出了研究中存在的问题以及所需的数据。鉴于甲苯在经济上的重要性及其广泛存在，迫切需要更多关于其行为和神经学影响的信息。
