Health in relation to occupational exposure to pesticides in the Dutch flower bulb culture : Part 3A : neurobehavioral assessment of workers occupationally exposed to pesticides in the bulb growing industry
book
The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the possible effects of occupational exposure to pesticides on central nervous system (CNS) function. A variety of neurobehavioral functions were assessed in a group of 129 workers in the bulb growing industry with at least ten years occupational exposure to pesticides and a group of 64 controls using the Neurobehavioral Evaluation System (NES). The NES consists of a battery of computerized neurobehavioral performance tests which are designed to evaluate changes in attention, learning and memory, motor performance and perception. In addition psychiatric and mood scale questionnaires were administered. Statistical analyses showed no differences in the prevalence of psychiatric symptoms or subjective complaints between the two groups. Multivariate analyses of neurobehavioral functioning, however, revealed significant performance decrements in pesticide-exposed workers in tests related to attention as well as those involving perceptual coding. These data indicate that occupational exposure to pesticides in the bulb growing industry is associated with subtle changes in neurobehavioral functioning. Combined industrial hygiene and neurobehavioral studies aimed at monitoring exposures and neurobehavioral functioning in industrial workers are recommended.
Topics
TNO Identifier
162808
ISSN
0921-9218
ISBN
90-5307-265-9
Publisher
Min. SZW, Arbeidsinspectie ; DGA
Collation
37 p. (incl. appendices)
Place of publication
Den Haag