Mood and behavioral symptoms in individuals with chronic solvent exposure

Psychiatric symptoms have been reported fur individuals who experience chro nic exposure to low levels of organic solvents. However, it is not known wh at proportion of such individuals experience psychiatric disorder; which sp ecific disorders may be characteristic of this population; or whether bioac cumulation of lead contributes to the relationship between solvent exposure and psychiatric symptoms. Twenty-nine male journeymen painters acid 32 mal e non-painter control subjects were administered semi-structured diagnostic interviews for DSM-III-R Axis I and Axis II disorders. Career solvent expo sure and blood lead levels were also measured. Painters and control subject s did not differ significantly with respect to age, intelligence, or demogr aphic characteristics. Results showed that the probability of being diagnos ed with a mood disorder differed significantly in painters (41%) and contro l subjects (16%). Painters (66%) and control subjects (50%) did not differ for substance use diagnoses. Groups also did not differ for personality dis orders involving an onset before 25 years of age. In contrast, painters exh ibited a sub-clinical pattern of personality dysfunction involving symptoma tology that was measured allowing for late onset (after age 25). Finally, a significant dose-response relationship was observed between career solvent exposure, blood lead level, and personality symptoms. In summary, these da ta showed an increased rate of psychological disturbance in a significant a nd substantial number of painters. However, not all painters were so charac terized. This overall pattern raises a question regarding a potential role for differential vulnerability, which requires empirical validation. (C) 20 00 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.