Development of Electrophysiological Indices of Neurological Toxicity for Organophosphate Pesticides and Depressant Drugs.

摘要

Accurate control of eye movements and rapid detection of unexpected events in the periphery of the visual field are critically important in the aviation environment. The authors have studied the effects of certain drugs and environmental pollutants on brain mechanisms controlling these visual reflexes, using single nerve cell recordings in animal model systems. Most agents studied deleteriously affected reflex functions at extremely low doses. This was especially true for organophosphate pesticides, related cholinergic compounds, and ethyl alcohol. Some drugs, such as imipramine and amphetamine, seemed to have little deleterious effect. Overall, the results suggest that some drugs and environmental pollutants can impair visual functions at doses not normally considered hazardous, and thus indicate the need for extreme caution in evaluating the safety margins of such materials in aviation medicine.