EFFECTS OF CHRONIC INHALATION OF VOLATILE SOLVENTS, MALNUTRITION AND THEIR INTERACTION ON SEIZURES INDUCED BY PENTYLENETETRAZOLE IN RATS

Chronic inhalation of volatile solvents induce severe brain damage. In humans, intense exposure to volatile solvents for recreational purpos es is frequently associated with chronic malnutrition. We studied in r ats the effects of chronic inhalation of volatile solvents and malnutr ition, alone and combined, on the seizures induced by pentylenetetrazo le. Animals were subjected to 14 months of either normal rodent diet o r malnutrition induced by a diet based on corn derivatives; some anima ls were subjected for the last 4 months to daily inhalation of volatil e solvents (paint thinner). Afterwards, a trial of pentylenetetrazole- induced seizures was conducted in all animals. When compared with cont rols, malnutrition, chronic inhalation of volatile solvents and their combination greatly reduced the threshold for both, the forebrain and the brain stem components of seizures. However, an expected lowering o f the threshold when malnutrition and solvent inhalation were combined was not observed when compared with each condition alone. It is possi ble that malnutrition plus solvents exposure induce severe brain damag e that interferes with the brain structures involved in the propagatio n of epileptic seizures.