Rhythm patterns of basic brain bioelectric activity in workers chronically exposed to carbon disulfide

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Occupational Health
• Toxicology

Background:

• Workers exposed to carbon disulfide (CS2) may experience neurological effects.
• Subtle changes in brain activity might precede clinical symptoms of nervous system damage.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the pattern and frequency of rhythm disturbances in electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings of workers exposed to chronic carbon disulfide (CS2) poisoning.
• To identify subclinical neurological effects in workers without detected organic nervous system lesions.

Main Methods:

• Analyzed EEG recordings of 188 viscose spinners exposed to CS2 (mean exposure 25.8 mg/m3).
• Compared EEG alpha rhythm in workers with (Group I, n=116) and without (Group II, n=72) subjective neurological symptoms against a control group (n=194).
• Assessed frequency and symmetry of alpha rhythm waves, correlating findings with exposure levels and duration.

Main Results:

• Workers exposed to CS2, with or without subjective symptoms, showed irregular and asymmetrical alpha rhythm frequencies in routine EEG.
• In workers with subjective symptoms, 54.3% had near-constant or slightly fluctuating alpha rhythm, while 45.7% exhibited significant 3-4 Hz fluctuations, more pronounced on the left.
• No significant correlation was found between alpha rhythm fluctuations and CS2 exposure duration or cumulative index.

Conclusions:

• Chronic CS2 exposure is associated with subclinical disturbances in central nervous system function, manifesting as altered alpha rhythm patterns in EEG.
• EEG abnormalities, particularly asymmetric fluctuations in alpha rhythm frequency, may serve as early indicators of neurotoxicity in CS2-exposed workers.
• Further research is needed to understand the long-term implications of these subclinical EEG changes.