Electroencephalographic findings in workers exposed to benzene

Preventive EEG examination was carried out in 40 workers significantly exposed to benzene. The EEG findings were compared with those of a control group of 48 healthy persons, a group of 110 workers significantly exposed to toluene and xylene and a group of 236 workers exposed to vinyl chloride. The individuals exposed to benzene exhibited 22.5% of abnormal and 45% threshold findings, the abnormalities being episodic, diffuse or a combination of the two. The effect of benzene entailed a frequent (32.5%) occurrence of a characteristic frequency lability. Sleep phenomena were found in a total of 60% cases (37.5% cases reached stage 1 B3 while 15% reached stage 2 according to Roth [14]). The rapid onset of deeper sleep stages (in 30% cases) is considered typical for benzene exposure. The photic driving response often had an extended frequency range (a total of 61.1%, to beta frequencies only in 30.55%, to both beta and theta frequencies also in 30.55% of cases). The different EEG features characteristic of the neurotoxic action of various types of organic solvents make possible a more efficient diagnostics of the effects of these chemicals on the CNS.