TOXIC ENCEPHALOPATHY DUE TO 1,1,1-TRICHLOROETHANE EXPOSURE

Twenty-eight workers with long-term repetitive high exposures to 1,1,1-trichloroethane were evaluated for complaints of short-term memory loss, disequilibrium, moodiness, irritability, and decreased ability to concentrate. As a group, they had significant deficits in memory, intermediate memory, rhythm, and speed as measured by the Luria-Nebraska Neuropsychological Battery. Platform posturography demonstrated deficits in vestibular, somatosensory, and ocular components of balance. The encephalopathic picture in these patients is similar to what has been described after exposure to other solvents. (C) 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.