Occupational neurotoxicology of organic solvents and solvent mixtures.

The results of two field studies in painters and spray painters, the outcomes of examinations of workers with suspected work-related disease due to solvents, as well as data from an evaluation of an epidemiologic study in painters with confirmed occupational disease, are presented and discussed. The results of these studies and the experiences in occupational medicine in the Federal Republic of Germany do not support the assumption of high neurotoxic risks in solvent-exposed workers, which can be postulated from various epidemiologic studies from Scandinavian countries. Several factors may explain the different conclusions: 1) lower solvent exposures of German painters in the past decades; 2) false positive diagnosis of a toxic encephalopathy; 3) aetiological misclassification; 4) differences in legislation relevant for the acknowledgement of occupational diseases. In conclusion, there is a need for further well-designed epidemiologic studies in occupationally solvent-exposed workers. Suggestions regarding assessment of exposure and neurobehavioral tests are given.