ABSTRACT
The current study was. performed to investigate the possible neurotoxic effects of chronic solvent abuse of some of the commonest abused substances in El-Minia governorate, namely, acetone and diethyl ether, and whether these changes, if present, are reversible or not. It was carried out as 2 parts: 1[st] part; 50 male persons aging between 20-45 were divided into 5 groups of 10 subjects each: group I; a normal volunteer control group, group II exposed daily to acetone for 1-2 year[s], group III: exposed daily to acetone for 8-10 year[s], group IV: exposed daily to diethyl ether for 1-2 year[s], group IV: exposed daily to diethyl ether for 8-10 year[s]. All subjects were examined thoroughly for any neuropsychiatric disorders 3 times 3 months apart. The 2[nd] part; 180 albino rats divided into 9 groups of 20 rats each as follows: group I: a control group received a daily oral dose of 1.5 ml of physiological saline for 1 month, group II: exposed to a daily dose of acetone [1250 ppm. / 30 min.] for 1 month, then examined immediately, group III: exposed to a daily dose of acetone [1250 ppm. / 30 min.] for 1 month, left for 1 month without any medical intervention, then examined, group IV: exposed to a daily dose of acetone [1250 ppm. / 30 min.] for 3 months, then examined immediately, group V: exposed to a daily dose of acetone [1250 ppm. / 30 min.] for 3 months, left for 1 month without any medical intervention, then examined, group VI: exposed to a daily dose of diethyl ether [2000 ppm. / 30 min.] 1 month, then examined immediately, group VII: exposed to a daily dose of diethyl ether [2000 ppm. / 30 min.] 1 month, left for I month without any medical intervention, then examined, group VIII: exposed to a daily dose of diethyl ether [2000 ppm. / 30 min.] for 3 months, then examined immediately, and group IX: exposed to a daily dose of diethyl ether [2000 ppm. / 30 min.] for 3 months, left without any medical intervention for 1 month, then examined. The results of the 1[st] part of the current study revealed that persons of the groups II and IV had mild neuropsychyatric disorders and that these changes were much more severe in the persons of group III and V as well as the appearance of another serious disorders including parkinsonism, cerebellar dysfunction, and cranial nerve affection. The results of the 2[nd] part revealed that animals of groups II and VI showed profound pathological changes of the cerebral cortex and cerebellum ranging from mild to moderate degrees with higher incidence towards the mild one. In addition, the animals of groups IV and VIII showed similar changes with increased incidence of the moderate degree. Moreover, animals of groups III and VII showed a mild improvement of the reported pathological changes when compared to those examined immediately after the last dose. On the other hand, animals of groups V and IX showed no improvement and nearly were the same when compared to those of groups IV and VIII. It could be concluded that volatile substance abuse induces serious neuropsychiatric and pathological changes, and that severity of the pathological changes increases with the increase of period of abuse, while reversibility becomes less likely