ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate reports of neuropsychological symptoms among women occupationally exposed to products commonly used in nail studios. BACKGROUND: Typical preparations found in nail studios contain a variety of organic solvents (e.g., toluene, acetone, formaldehyde) and (meth)acrylates with known neurotoxic properties. Little research has focused on the neuropsychological sequelae of exposure to these substances occurring in the cosmetics industry. METHOD: Participants included nail salon technicians (n = 150) and controls (n = 148). Nail technicians were compared with demographically similar controls using the Neuropsychological Impairment Scale, a self-reported measure of neuropsychological and psychological symptoms. Aspects of the workplace environment (e.g., square footage of the salon, adequacy of ventilation, hours worked) also were assessed. RESULTS: A MANOVA revealed small but significant differences in the overall level of symptoms as well as in individual scales measuring neurologic complaints, cognitive efficiency, memory, verbal learning, and academic skills (p < 0.001). Moreover, nail technicians were significantly more likely to score above the clinical cutoffs than were controls on four of the seven clinical scales and two of the three summary indices. Multiple regression analysis indicated that the severity of symptoms was associated with level of occupational exposure (p < 0.01). The cumulative impact of workplace size and ventilation were most strongly associated with symptom severity. CONCLUSIONS: Exposure to low-level neurotoxins common to nail studios results in the self-reported experience of cognitive and neurologic symptoms similar to other types of solvent and (meth)acrylate exposure. The profile of reported symptoms is consistent with deficits typically observed in this type of neurotoxic exposure: neurologic complaints as well as perceived problems with cognitive efficiency, memory, and learning. Additionally, the nail technicians reported a higher overall level of complaints and greater severity of symptoms than did the controls.
Subject(s)
Cognition Disorders/diagnosis , Cognition Disorders/etiology , Methacrylates/adverse effects , Nails , Occupational Diseases/chemically induced , Occupational Diseases/diagnosis , Occupational Exposure/adverse effects , Solvents/adverse effects , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Female , Humans , Middle Aged , Severity of Illness Index , Surveys and Questionnaires , Time FactorsABSTRACT
Intermanual discrepancies in performance and alternate-form equivalence on the Trail Making Test were examined among 40 left- and 40 right-hand-preferred normal adults (N = 80). The findings indicate that administration of the Trail Making Tests to the nonpreferred hand does not result in a clinically meaningful difference in score. Neither hand preference nor task complexity (numeric or numeric/lexical) significantly affected the magnitude of the intermanual discrepancy. Mixed-model analyses of variance revealed an interaction (p < .001) indicating that the alternate form for the numeric/lexical Trial Making Test (Trail Making Test, Part D; TMT-D) is slightly more difficult than is the original form Trail Making Test, Part B (TMT-B). Therefore, individuals exposed first to TMT-D performed relatively better in the second trial, whereas individuals exposed first to TMT-B first produced equivalent scores when presented the more difficult form (TMT-D) on the second trial. Thus, although TMT-D is not an equivalent form to TMT-B, it may serve as an excellent alternate form at retest.
Subject(s)
Functional Laterality , Trail Making Test/statistics & numerical data , Adolescent , Adult , Female , Humans , Individuality , Male , Middle Aged , Reference ValuesABSTRACT
Total skeletal calcium levels were determined in female mice with the aid of whole body neutron activation analysis. Three months treatment with heparin produced significant osteoporosis in C3-H/St(Ha) mice but not in C57/BL6 (J) mice. Treatment with a conjugated natural estrogen preparation (Premarin) prevented heparin accelerated osteoporosis, but high level fluoride in the drinking water had no preventive effect. In some experiments there was a suggestion of a deleterious effect of fluoride.
Subject(s)
Estrogens, Conjugated (USP)/therapeutic use , Fluoridation , Osteoporosis/drug therapy , Animals , Female , Heparin , Mice , Mice, Inbred C3H , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Osteoporosis/chemically inducedABSTRACT
Total skeletal calcium level was determined in female mice with the aid of whole body neutron activation analysis. Three months treatment with heparin produced significant osteoporosis in C3H/St(Ha) mice of 3--5 months of age. Treatment with a conjugated natural estrogen preparation (Premarin) prevented this phenomenon but high level fluoride in the drinking water failed to show preventive activity.
