Corpus callosum volume in railroad workers with chronic exposure to solvents.

Abstract

Changes to cognition and behavior have been reported after long-term exposure to solvents. Solvents are hypothesized to affect brain white matter. To test this, we examined the volume of the corpus callosum in workers with a history of exposure to solvents. We manually traced (blind to group membership) the volume of the corpus callosum in 31 railroad workers and 31 matched controls. There was a decrease in the genu of the corpus callosum in the solvent-exposed workers compared with controls. A smaller volume of the genu of the corpus callosum was associated with greater exposure and worse performance on cognitive tasks. This study supports the hypothesis that occupational exposure to solvents affects the anterior white matter of the brain and is related to extent of exposure and degree of cognitive change.