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Kaye H. Kilburn¹ and John C. Thornton²

¹Environmental Sciences Laboratory, University of Southern California School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90033 USA
²Thornton Associates, Mahopac, NY 10541 USA

Abstract

Over 250 adults and children were exposed to chlordane when the wooden building surfaces and soil around an apartment complex were sprayed in 1987. Two hundred-sixteen adults had neurobehavioral functions measured and completed questionnaires for symptom frequency, mood status, confounding factors, and medical, rheumatic, and respiratory disorders in 1994. Measurements included simple and choice reaction time, balance, blink reflex latency, color vision, cognitive, perceptual motor, memory, and recall functions. We analyzed 216 exposed and 174 referent adults. Age, educational level, weight, height, and gender ratio were similar for the exposed and referent groups. Performance of balance, reaction times, Culture Fair, digit symbol, verbal recall, and trail-making were significantly impaired in exposed persons compared to referents. Mood-state scores were elevated, as were the frequencies of respiratory, neurobehavioral, and rheumatic symptoms. In contrast, long-term memory function was similar in both groups, consistent with its status before exposure. There was no identified bias or confounding factors. Chlordane exposure was associated with protracted impairment of neurophysiological and psychological functions. The central nervous system is the most important target of chlorinated cyclodiene insecticides. Human exposure should be prohibited. Key words: balance, choice reaction time, profile of mood states, sway speed, trail-making, verbal recall. Environ Health Perspect 103: 690-694 (1995)

Address correspondence to K.H. Kilburn, Environmental Sciences Laboratory, University of Southern Calilfornia School of Medicine, CSC 201, 2025 Zonal Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90033 USA.

Received 10 February 1995 ; accepted 3 May 1995.