Chronic exposure to anesthetic gases affects balance control in operating room personnel

Exposure to anesthetic gases is known to alter certain structures and functions of the central nervous system. As the effects of long-term exposure on balance control mechanisms have been the subject of few investigations, these were evaluated in 53 operating room personnel exposed to anesthetic gases and in 53 non-exposed individuals. Balance control was assessed by static and dynamic posturography. Exposed workers had the worst static and dynamic postural performances, particularly in the eyes closed condition, suggesting increased dependency on vision and decreased use of proprioception. This poorer ability to modify the weight and to switch the different cues controlling balance suggests central information processing disorders. By impairing information and its central integration, exposure to anesthetics gases leads to inappropriate organization of sensorimotor stabilization strategies. (C) 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.