Central nervous system effects of chronic solvent abuse

Thirteen organic solvent abusers (13 men and 2 women) were examined by magnetic resonace imaging (MRI) and singl photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). Three patients had neurological findings, such as ataxia of the upper extremities and walking disorder, and 2 of these had localized signal abnormality on MRI. T2-weighted imaging showed high signal intensities in the cerebral white matter, endocyst posterior shank, pars ventralis, and cerebellar white matter. These seemed to be attributable to demyelination. Two patients who showed locally abnormal MRI findings had begun to abuse organic solvents. There was a significant correlation between the age at the time of beginning inhalation and behavioral IQ (r=0.84). This suggested the importance of age at the time of beginning inhalation. When SPECT images were visually interpreted in 11 patients, 5 patients had a decreased blood flow in the bilateral frontal lobes (n=2), the right frontal lobe (n=2), and the bilateral cerebellar hemisphere (n=2). In the other 6 patients, blood flow was normal. There was a negative correlation between blood flow in the left frontal lobe and the score for the third Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS) item. (N.K.)