A cross-sectional study on the brainstem auditory evoked potential among workers exposed to carbon disulfide.

In order to clarify the chronic effect of carbon disulfide (CS2) on the central nervous system (CNS), the brainstem auditory evoked potential (BAEP) was measured in spinning workers exposed to CS2 in a viscose rayon manufacturing factory and unexposed workers in Japan. Workers exposed to CS2 were divided into three groups according to length of exposure: current spinning workers with an exposure duration of more than 240 months (L group, n = 34), current spinning workers with an exposure duration of 24-84 months (S group, n = 25), and former spinning workers with an exposure duration of more than 120 months (R group, n = 16). Unexposed controls were selected from workers in a nylon filament factory using the same criteria (N group; n = 40). BAEP records were analyzed based on the latencies of three main components (I, III, V) and interpeak latencies (I-III IPL, III-V IPL, I-V IPL). Latencies of component V, III-V IPL, and I-V IPL in the L group were significantly greater (P < 0.01, P < 0.05, P < 0.05, respectively). The significantly, higher III-V IPL in the L group suggested that in humans, chronic exposure to CS2 involves the auditory ascending tract in the brainstem. Recovery from this neurotoxic effect is apparently possible, as the BAEP parameters in the R group were not significantly higher than those of the N group despite the long previous CS2 exposure of the R group.