Prolong exposure to paint, glue detrimental for brain

Do you often get migraine or nausea if exposed to the smell of paint of glue? Shift to a safer location as people who are exposed to paint, glue or degreaser fumes may experience memory and thinking problems later.

According to research, brain may never fully recover from exposure to paint, glue or degreasers at work.

"Solvents pose a real risk to the present and future cognitive health of workers, and as retirement ages go up, the length of time that people are exposed is going up, too," explained Erika L. Sabbath from Harvard School of Public Health in Boston.

The study involved 2,143 retirees from the French national utility company.

Researchers assessed the workers' lifetime exposure to chlorinated solvents, petroleum solvents and benzene.

Benzene is used to make plastics, rubber, dye, detergents and other synthetic materials.

Chlorinated solvents can be found in dry cleaning solutions, engine cleaners, paint removers and degreasers.

Petroleum solvents are used in carpet glue, furniture polishes, paint, paint thinner and varnish.

The research found that people with high, recent exposure to solvents were at greatest risk for memory and thinking deficits.

For example, those with high exposure to chlorinated solvents were 65 percent more likely to have impaired scores on tests of memory and visual attention and task switching.

"The people with high exposure within the last 12 to 30 years showed impairment in almost all areas of memory and thinking, including those not usually associated with solvent exposure," Sabbath noted.

The study appeared in the journal Neurology.