Elsevier

Neurotoxicology and Teratology

Volume 12, Issue 4, July–August 1990, Pages 307-311
Neurotoxicology and Teratology

Article
The effect of toluene on the vestibulo- and opto-oculomotor system in rats, pretreated with GABAergic drugs

https://doi.org/10.1016/0892-0362(90)90048-HGet rights and content

Abstract

Toluene, an aromatic solvent, prolongs the duration of nystagmus induced by a rotatory acceleration or by an optokinetic stimulation in the pigmented rat. Baclofen, an agonist of GABAB receptors, and 4,5,6,7-tetrahydroisoxazolo[5,4-c]-pyridin-3-ol (THIP), an agonist of GABAA receptors are able to block this toluene effect on the vestibular system. On the contrary diazepam, which by itself causes an evident reduction of the duration of acceleratory nystagmus, is not able to block the toluene effect. The results indicate that the toluene effect is related to GABA transmission and that the solvent interacts by a rather receptor specific mechanism of action.

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    In addition to impairing hearing, solvents have been shown to disrupt balance. Solvents have a negative impact on the sensory-motor integration of postural stability regulation and vestibular pathways (Calabrese et al., 1996; Niklasson et al., 1993; Tham et al., 1990). However, the precise mechanism through which aromatic solvents affect the vestibular system remains elusive.

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    The vestibular hyporeactivity may be of peripheral or central origin. Tham et al2,3 suggested that toluene caused excitation of the VOR reflex by interacting with the central pathways in reticular formation and the cerebellum, which might result in nystagmus reduction. Unfortunately, fixation index-–the vulnerable tool to distinguish between peripheral and central abnormalities-–was not included in our protocol.

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