[Auditory evoked potentials in addicts to organic solvent inhalation]. / Potenciales provocados auditivos en adictos a la inhalación de solventes orgánicos.

Organic solvents affect the membrane lipids of neurons and glial cell. This led us to search for auditory damage, by means of brainstem auditory evoked responses, in subjects with chronic inhalation of thinner. Waves III and V showed delayed latency at an intensity of 90 dB, and wave V was delayed at 70 and 30 dB; the interwave intervals I-III and I-V at 90 dB and the interpeak I-V at 70 dB were also retarded. Three subjects did not show a response to stimulation at 30 dB: pure tone audiometry showed biaural mild hypoacusia in them. These results show that chronic inhalation of thinner may alter the auditory pathway of addicts.

Pattern-visual evoked potentials in thinner abusers.

Organic solvents cause injury to lipids of neuronal and glial membranes. A well known characteristic of workers exposed to thinner is optic neuropathy. We decided to look for neurophysiologic signs of visual damage in patients identified as thinner abusers. Pattern reversal visual evoked potentials was performed on 34 thinner abuser patients and 30 controls. P-100 wave latency was found to be longer on abuser than control subjects. Results show the possibility of central alterations on thinner abusers despite absence of clinical symptoms.