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Solvents attack the central nervous system and after a long period of exposure affect memory and personality according to Dr. Anneke Weme. Their experience and other medical studies indicate that exposure to high concentrations of solvents can be harmful to health. The harmful effects develop in three progressive stages.
Tiredness Firstly, mild exposure to solvents gives only mild symptoms: feeling tired, difficulty in concentrating, a tendency to becone irritated more easily and sometimes mild depression. Loss of Memory In the second stage due to longer exposure to solvents, tiredness is more pronounced and short-term memory begins to suffer. People are forgetful by nature. Most of us sometimes forget names or what we have just done or are about to do. That's normal. However, solvents make the problem worse. For example, sufferers may forget the way to a relative's house even though they have driven there many times. They also become more irritable and moody. Personality Changes The most advanced stage is the worst. A permanent change of personality can occur. People lose their inituative and may suffer from severe depression. They don't have so much life in them as before. Life feels empty. As the nervous system is affected by solvents, reactions become slower and less coordinated. Chronic Toxic Encephalopathy As knowledge of the effects of solvents has incresed, medical experts have given this serious condition a name. It is categorised as a disease of the brain called chronic toxic encephalopathy (CTE). It affects the nervous system and is caused by exposure to toxic chemicals. It should be added that solvents can also give other problems, eg. allergic reactions, eczema and even asthma. Dr. Anneke Niewe Weme, is part of a team of two doctors who run an occupational health consultancy in the Netherlands dealing with problems caused by solvents in the workplace.