Neurophysiological Effects & Toxic Mold

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1: ScientificWorldJournal. 2003 Apr 28;3(4):281-90. Related

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Neurophysiological effects of chronic indoor environmental toxic

mold exposure on children.

Anyanwu EC, AW, Vojdani A.

The phenomenon of building-related diseases is attracting much

research interest in recent years because of the extent to which it

affects people with compromised immune systems, especially children.

In this study, we reported the neurological findings in children who

attended our Center because of chronic exposure to toxic molds.

Clinical neurological and neurobehavioral questionnaires were

administered with the cooperation of the children " s parents. The

children then underwent a series of neurophysiological tests

including electroencephalogram (EEG), brainstem evoked potential

(BAEP), visual evoked potential (VEP), and somatosensory evoked

potential (SSEP). The results showed high levels of abnormalities in

the analysis of the subjective responses derived from the

questionnaires. The EEG examination was abnormal in seven out of ten

of the patients compared to the controls with only one in ten with

episodes of bihemispheric sharp activity. In all the patients, there

was frontotemporal theta wave ativity that seemed to indicate

diffuse changes characteristic of metabolic encephalopathies. Also,

there was highly marked 1 to 3 Hz delta activity that was

asymmetrical in the right hemisphere of the brain in three out of

ten patients. The waveforms of BAEP showed abnormalities in 90% of

the patients with both 15 " and 31 " check sizes compared to none in

the controls. There were significant delays in waveform V in a

majority of the patients representing dysfunctional cognitive

process and conductive hearing loss in both ears. VEP showed clear

abnormalities in four in ten of the patients with P100 amplitudes

and latencies decreased bilaterally. In all the patients, there was

slowing of conduction in the right tibial at an average of 36.9 ms

and there was significant decrease in amplitude of response at the

proximal stimulation site. Sensory latencies obtained in the median,

ulnar, and sural nerves bilaterally showed abnormalities in five out

of ten compared to none in the controls. The median, ulnar, and

sural sensory potentials were abnormal in six out of ten patients.

There was prolongation of the median distal sensory latencies

bilaterally at an average of 4.55 ms on the right and an average of

6.10 ms on the left as compared to the ulnars of 2.55 ms

bilaterally. There was no abnormality in the controls. These

findings represent evidence of diffuse polyneuropathy to which three

patients demonstrated borderline slow motor conduction at an average

of 41.1 ms. Overall, the objective neurophysiological measurements

(EEG, BAEP, VEP, and SSEP) were abnormal, indicating significant

neurological deficits in all the patients. Our findings revealed the

extent to which toxic molds can affect the neurological and

behavioral status of children. Further work should be encouraged in

this regard.

PMID: 12806113 [PubMed - in process]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?

cmd=Retrieve & db=PubMed & list_uids=12806113 & dopt=Abstract