Absorption of chemicals into the bloodstream is immediate. Inhalant abusers are given counseling, psychotherapy, appropriate medications and group therapy to address their addiction to toluene and benzene. Common benzene derived compounds with various substituents. Toluene is found in lacquers, paint thinners, paints and adhesives. Toluene and toluene-containing volatile substances are the most commonly abused solvents with a demonstrative addictive potential for humans. Jabre, in Reference Module in Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Psychology, 2017. Because toluene is also part of the glue used by paint huffers, it has been suggested as a potential cause of the neurotoxic syndrome observed in these individuals. Yes, both chemicals are physically and psychological addicting due to their disruption of the brain’s reward pathways, specifically the nucleus accumbens and ventral tegmental areas. Long-term exposure to benzene also harms bone marrow, where new blood cells are made. It is often used as a solvent because it can help dissolve other substances. With higher levels of exposure, unconsciousness, coma, and death may occur. Scott E. Bowen, ... Eric L. Garland, in Neuropathology of Drug Addictions and Substance Misuse, 2016. Neuroimaging studies typically reveal diffuse atrophy and decreased gray–white differentiation. It is of note that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires that benzene be listed on material safety data sheets (MSDS) if the concentration is .1% or higher. It can be found naturally in petroleum crude oil. It may be inhaled directly from on open container, or huffed from a rag soaked in the substance and held to the face. Incoordination, disequilibrium, confusion, and cognitive and memory deficits accompany these symptoms. Withdrawing from an addiction to products containing toluene and benzene may cause symptoms similar to those of alcohol withdrawal. Benzene has been a known carcinogen since before World War II. ScienceDirect ® is a registered trademark of Elsevier B.V. ScienceDirect ® is a registered trademark of Elsevier B.V. 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Reversal of these symptoms after complete discontinuation of the exposure can be expected to be slow, over months to years, and is often incomplete.9,10, Its chemical structure makes toluene highly lipid soluble. methyl benzene, is a clear, flammable, water-insoluble liquid with the odor of paint thinner. Dementia is the most disabling aspect of the syndrome, characterized by apathy, memory loss, visuospatial deficits, and preserved language function. Toluene is a clear, colorless liquid with a distinctive smell. All rights reserved. Some evidence shows toluene may also alter neuronal response to certain neurotransmitters.6,7. Repeated exposures, however, can lead to chronic symptoms of intention tremor, motor incoordination, and cognitive deficits. While the prevalence of toluene abuse in the United States is unknown, it is estimated that 10% to 15% of people have used the inhalant.22 Prolonged exposure to toluene vapors may result in multifocal leukoencephalopathy, with primary clinical manifestations of dementia, ataxia, brain-stem dysfunction, and corticospinal weakness. Published on November 9th, 2020 by Andrew Hughes. (1985) strongly indicate that benzene is an experimental carcinogen. The effects of toluene generally last several hours and include euphoria, grandiosity, reduced inhibitions, feelings of inebriation, floating sensation, drowsiness, sedation, reduced ability to concentrate, distorted perception of time and distance, weakness, lethargy, fatigue, memory loss, delusions, and possibly hallucinations. Acute toluene toxicity results in lightheadedness and euphoria. Toluene is excreted rapidly in the urine as hippuric acid, and the residual is detectable in the serum by gas chromatography.