PT Journal AU Moller, C Odkvist, L Larsby, B Tham, R Ledin, T Bergholtz, L TI Otoneurological findings in workers exposed to styrene. SO Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health PD 6VL PY 1990 BP 189 EP 194 IS 3 DI 10.5271/sjweh.1795 WP https://www.sjweh.fi/show_abstract.php?abstract_id=1795 SN 0355-3140 AB

An otoneurological test battery was administered to 18 workers with long-term exposure (6-15 years) to styrene at levels well below the current Swedish limit (110 mg/m3). The results were compared with those of a reference group. Disturbances were found in the central auditory pathways of seven workers. Tests reflecting central processing of impulses from different sensory equilibrium organs were abnormal for 16 workers. The most relevant tests seemed to be static posturography and the rotatory visual suppression test. In the posturography the styrene group had a significantly larger sway area than the reference group. In the visual suppression test, the styrene workers displayed a significantly poorer ability to suppress vestibular nystagmus than the reference group. It was concluded that styrene exposure in industrial environments at moderate or low levels causes central nervous system disturbances which are not always diagnosable with psychometric tests but can be apparent in special otoneurological tests.

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