Maruff P, Burns C B, Tyler P, Currie B J, Currie J
Swinburne University of Technology, Mental Health Research Institute of Victoria, Melbourne, Australia.
Brain. 1998 Oct;121 ( Pt 10):1903-17. doi: 10.1093/brain/121.10.1903.
Substance abuse through the deliberate inhalation of petrol (petrol sniffing or gasoline sniffing) is prevalent in inner-urban and remote rural communities. Although acute toxic encephalopathy is a well-documented consequence of petrol sniffing, the neurological and cognitive effects of chronic petrol sniffing are unknown. A structured neurological examination and the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) were used to assess neurological and cognitive function in 33 current-sniffers (individuals who had sniffed petrol for >6 months), 30 ex-sniffers (individuals who had sniffed petrol in the past but had abstained for 6 months) and 34 matched non-sniffers (individuals who had never sniffed petrol). No subject was, or had been, encephalopathic from petrol sniffing and all were residing in their community. Blood lead and hydrocarbon levels and information about petrol sniffing behaviour were obtained from each subject. When compared with non-sniffers, current-sniffers showed higher rates of abnormal tandem gait, rapid alternating hand movements, finger to nose movements, postural tremor, bilateral palmomental reflexes and brisk deep reflexes. Cognitive deficits occurred in the areas of visual attention, visual recognition memory and visual paired associate learning. Ex-petrol sniffers showed higher rates of abnormal tandem gait and bilateral palmomental reflexes and cognitive deficits in the areas of visual recognition memory and pattern-location paired associate learning. Blood lead levels and length of time of petrol sniffing correlated significantly with the magnitude of neurological and cognitive deficits. Blood hydrocarbon levels were not related to neurocognitive deficits, although this may have been due to methodological difficulties in obtaining hydrocarbon levels. These results suggest that subtle neurological and cognitive abnormalities do occur in individuals who abuse petrol but who do not have acute toxic encephalopathy and that the severity of these abnormalities is reduced with abstinence.
通过故意吸入汽油（汽油嗅吸）进行物质滥用在城市内和偏远农村社区很普遍。尽管急性中毒性脑病是汽油嗅吸的一个有充分记录的后果，但慢性汽油嗅吸对神经和认知的影响尚不清楚。采用结构化神经检查和剑桥神经心理测试自动成套系统（CANTAB）对33名现嗅吸者（嗅吸汽油超过6个月的个体）、30名既往嗅吸者（过去曾嗅吸汽油但已戒除6个月的个体）和34名匹配的非嗅吸者（从未嗅吸过汽油的个体）的神经和认知功能进行评估。没有受试者因汽油嗅吸而患有或曾患有脑病，且所有受试者都居住在他们的社区。从每个受试者获取血铅和碳氢化合物水平以及有关汽油嗅吸行为的信息。与非嗅吸者相比，现嗅吸者出现异常串联步态、快速交替手部动作、指鼻动作、姿势性震颤、双侧掌颏反射和亢进的深反射的比例更高。在视觉注意力、视觉识别记忆和视觉配对联想学习方面出现认知缺陷。既往汽油嗅吸者出现异常串联步态和双侧掌颏反射的比例更高，在视觉识别记忆和图案位置配对联想学习方面存在认知缺陷。血铅水平和汽油嗅吸时间长度与神经和认知缺陷的严重程度显著相关。血碳氢化合物水平与神经认知缺陷无关，尽管这可能是由于获取碳氢化合物水平存在方法学困难所致。这些结果表明，在滥用汽油但没有急性中毒性脑病的个体中确实会出现轻微的神经和认知异常，并且这些异常的严重程度在戒除后会降低。
