Psychobiological changes in female subjects exposed to tobacco dust
Bhattacharya, S.K.; Ghosh, S.K.; Gokani, V.N.; Tripathi, S.R.; Doctor, P.
Indian Journal of Experimental Biology 24(3): 174-178
1986
ISSN/ISBN: 0019-5189 PMID: 3733175 Document Number: 267691
A battery of five neuropsychological tests, viz. 'manual-dexterity (place and turn)', 'card sorting', 'tweezer dexterity steadiness' and 'reaction time' (simple and choice), were administered on a group of 40 female subjects, occupationally exposed to tobacco dust for about 8 hr a day over a period of 5 to 20 yr. A control group of 20 housewives matched for age, education, socio-economic levels and tobacco habits were also tested. The testing sessions were conducted during the pre- and post-exposure periods on two successive days. Pre- and post-exposure urine samples were collected on the day of investigation and also the next morning before beginning work, for determination of the levels of nicotine and its principal metabolite nicotine. The results indicated that urinary levels of nicotine and cotinine of exposed subjects were significantly higher at the post-exposure period than at the pre-exposure period as also the next morning. No nicotine or cotinine was found in the urine of controls. Significant performance decrements at the post-exposure period were observed on 'card sorting', 'tweezer dexterity' and 'reaction time (sample and choice)'. Post-exposure urinary levels of nicotine and continine correlated significantly with the performance decrements on these tests. It is suggested that future studies covering a wider range of behavioural and biological functions on similar occupational groups may be carried out.