NEUROPSYCHOLOGY OF THALLIUM POISONING

Cases of thallium poisoning are rare and neuropsychological assessment has only been reported in detail in one other case. In the case repor ted here, neuropsychological assessments were carried out three, 12, a nd 54 months after diagnosis of thallium poisoning in a man who had ac utely shown a number of neurological signs including confusion and dis orientation and generalised slowing of EEG which was more prominent on the left. Evidence suggested that he had been exposed to thallium ove r a period of weeks. Neuropsychological assessment indicated an unexpe cted weakness in verbal abilities which persisted. This finding is con sistent with the only other published case report which details neurop sychological effects after a single large dose of thallium and which a lso found a lateralised impairment.