A polysomnographic study of sleep disturbance in community elderly with self-reported environmental chemical odor intolerance

Bell, Iris R.; Bootzin, Richard R.; Ritenbaugh, Cheryl; Wyatt, James K.; DeGiovanni, Gia; Kulinovich, Tina; Anthony, James R.; Kuo, Tracy F.; Rider, Steven P.; Peterson, Julie; Schwartz, Gary E.; Johnson, Kathleen A.

doi:10.1016/0006-3223(95)00330-4

Cited by 29 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 63 publications

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“…In a recent survey, chemically intolerant young men reported an increased rate of childhood ADHD diagnoses (86 (91). The same group of chemically intolerant elderly described above also exhibited objective polysomnographic sleep patterns such as decreased total sleep time, increased waking, and decreased rapid-eye movement sleep, despite only slightly elevated subjective ratings of sleep disturbance compared with chemically tolerant controls (92). Milk, a commonly implicated food incitant in MCS (4), was associated with poorer sleep than was soy beverage in the chemically intolerant group.…”

Section: Time-dependent Sensitizationmentioning

confidence: 96%

Individual differences in neural sensitization and the role of context in illness from low-level environmental chemical exposures.

Bell

Schwartz

Baldwin

et al. 1997

Environ Health Perspect

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Section: Time-dependent Sensitizationmentioning

confidence: 96%

Individual differences in neural sensitization and the role of context in illness from low-level environmental chemical exposures.

Bell

Schwartz

Baldwin

et al. 1997

Environ Health Perspect

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“…Changes in sleep have been reported in humans with MCS or CI 39 and after organic solvent exposure. 40,41 In experimental animals, organic solvent exposure administered acutely [42][43][44][45][46] or chronically 43,44 also has been shown to alter sleep.…”

Section: Altered Sleep Architecture After Repeated Formaldehyde Exposurementioning

confidence: 99%

Repeated Formaldehyde Effects in an Animal Model for Multiple Chemical Sensitivity

Sorg

Tschirgi

Swindell

et al. 2001

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences

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Chemical intolerance is a phenomenon observed in multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) syndrome, an ill‐defined disorder in humans attributed to exposure to volatile organic compounds. Amplification of symptoms in individuals with MCS resembles the phenomenon of psychostimulant‐ and stress‐induced sensitization in rodents. We have recently tested in rats the hypothesis that repeated chemical exposure produces sensitization of central nervous system (CNS) circuitry. A rat model of MCS in our laboratory has employed several endpoints of CNS function after repeated formaldehyde (Form) exposure (1 h/day × 5 days/week × 4 weeks). Repeated Form exposure produced behavioral sensitization to later cocaine injection, suggesting altered dopaminergic sensitivity in mesolimbic pathways. Rats given repeated Form also demonstrated increased fear conditioning to odor paired with footshock, implicating amplification of neural circuitry guiding fear responding to a conditioned odor cue. Recent studies examining the effects of repeated Form on locomotor activity during each daily exposure showed a decrease in rearing activity after 12‐15 days of Form exposure compared to air‐exposed controls. EEG recordings taken 1 week after withdrawal from daily Form revealed altered sleep architecture. Some of the differences in sleep disappeared after subsequent brief (15 min) challenge with Form the next day. Overall, the findings indicate that repeated low‐level chemical exposure produces behavioral changes that may be akin to those observed in individuals with MCS, such as greater sensitivity to chemicals manifest as increased anxiety upon chemical exposure and altered sleep and/or fatigue. Study of the underlying CNS changes will provide a basis for mechanistically based animal models for MCS.

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“…In an effort to isolate effects from disability, litigation, and expectation/attribution, Bell et al (14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19) initiated a series of studies focused on chemical intolerance in high-functioning older and young adults from the community who were not clinically ill. Findings in these preclinical chemical intolerant individuals, who constituted 15-30% of the general population samples, included life histories of medical problems that overlapped with those of MCS/IEI patients (10,17,19), increased trait shyness (14,15,17), objectively lower total sleep times (20), evaluation of plasma beta-endorphins (21), alterations in spectral electroencephalographic patterns during chemical exposure (22) and reduced reaction times on divided-attention tasks (23).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multiple chemical sensitivity and idiopathic environmental intolerance (part one)

Watanabe

Tonori

Aizawa

2003

Environ Health Prev Med

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Multiple chemical sensitivity/idiopathic environmental intolerance (MCS/IEI) is a commonly used diagnostic term for a group of symptoms. These symptoms have been described and commented on for more than 15 years in the USA. Recently, it has also been observed in Japan. The main features of this syndrome are multiple symptoms involving in multiple organ systems that are precipitated by a variety of chemical substances with relapses and exacerbation under certain conditions when exposed to very low levels which do not affect the population at large. There are no laboratory markers or specific investigative findings. Although traditional medical organizations have not agreed on a definition for this syndrome due to the lack of obvious evidence to demonstrate the existence of these symptoms, it is being increasingly recognized. It constitutes an increasing percentage of the caseload at occupational/environmental medical clinics.Part one of this review article discusses pathophysiological theories, substances which cause symptoms, prevalence in the general and specific populations, past history and family history, and clinical symptoms of MCS/IEI patients.

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A polysomnographic study of sleep disturbance in community elderly with self-reported environmental chemical odor intolerance

Cited by 29 publications

References 63 publications

Individual differences in neural sensitization and the role of context in illness from low-level environmental chemical exposures.

Individual differences in neural sensitization and the role of context in illness from low-level environmental chemical exposures.

Repeated Formaldehyde Effects in an Animal Model for Multiple Chemical Sensitivity

Multiple chemical sensitivity and idiopathic environmental intolerance (part one)

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