• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.85-89
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• 2016

Background: Formaldehyde is used to preserve cadaver in medical schools, and students are exposed to formaldehyde during cadaver dissection classes. When humans are exposed to formaldehyde, it induces mucosal inflammation, skin inflammation, and declining of neurobehavioral function including attention and memory executive functions. The purpose of this study is to identify the effects of formaldehyde exposure on student's neurobehavioral performance during cadaver dissection classes. Methods: The level of formaldehyde was measured in a cadaver dissection class. A total of 16 students were randomly divided into two groups. One group wore respiratory protection masks, while the other group did not. Among many subtests in Korean Computerized Neurobehavioral test, backward digit span was tested on all subjects before and after the class. Results: The length of memorized digit span between the two groups was not significant; however there was a greater decrease in neurobehavioral function after formaldehyde exposure in the non-mask group than the mask group. Conclusion: Formaldehyde exposure during cadaver dissection may likely decrease neurobehavioral performance of students. Therefore, proper ventilation system and respiratory protective equipment are necessary to protect medical school students from adverse effects of formaldehyde exposure.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.156-167
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• 2010

To evaluate the effect of lead biomarkers including bone lead on neurobehavioral test in retired lead workers, 131 retired lead workers without any occupational exposure to organic solvent, mercury and arsenic were agreed to participate this study. For the control subjects 56 non-occupationally lead exposed subjects were recruited from same area of retired lead workers with consideration of demographic characteristics. The mean levels of blood and bone lead of retired lead workers were significantly higher than control group and there were significant correlation among other lead biomarkers. Compared with controls without occupational lead exposure, lead exposured subjects had worse performance on 10 tests out of 12 neurobehavioral tests, but only two tests(Purdue pegboard nondominant and both hand) showed statistical significance of differences. In multiple linear regression analysis of neurobehavioral tests with lead biomarkers and demographic and lifestyle variables, age was associated negatively with 11 neurobehavioral tests, whereas log-transformed ZPP was associated with Purdue pegboard(both hand) and Santa Ana manual dexterity(non-dominant hand). On the other hand, tibia lead was associated Pursuit aiming test(correct) and Purdue pegboard(dominant hand) and calcaneal lead was associated with Purdue pegboard(dominant hand). This study confirmed that among all relevant variables age was most significantly associated with the poor performance of neurobehavioral tests. The blood lead did not have any significant association with neurobehavioral tests, but tibia and calcaneal bone lead and blood ZPP showed significant association with a few tests even after more than mean 9 years from their retirements.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.53-71
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• 1997

Across sectional study was performed to evaluate the chronic effects on central nerve system(CNS) of cumulative exposure of complex organic solvents, using neurobehavioral test. Subjects were 66 (male) dock yard painters of some large ship industry which is located in Ulsan. The neurobehavioral test battery used in this study was NCTB (Neurabehavioral Core Test Battery recommended by WHO(World Health Organization), which consisted of 7 items-Profile of mood states (POMS), Simple reaction time, Santa Ana dexterity test. Digit span, Digit symbol, Benton visual retention test and Pursuit aiming. The subjects were classified by 3 groups according to duration of employment(group 1 ; less than 9 years, group 2 ; 10-14 years, group 3 ; more than 15 years). The results of performance were analyzed considering of work duration, age, educational level, alcohol drinking, smoking and testing time as confounding factors. Benton visual retention test, pursuit aiming correct dot and sum of dot showed significant differences among the groups, and decreased with increasing work duration. It indicated that the mean scores of performance ability were lowering according to work duration. Besides, the tests that didn't show statistical significances but showed linear trends were depression-dejection, vigor, fatigue of POMS, slowest time of simple reaction time and digit span forward. Most of the neurobehavioral test items were correlated with age and educational level. After controlling of confounding factors-age and educational level, the results followed ; digit span backward was different significantly. Tension-anxiety, depression-dejection, anger-hostility of POMS, SD and slowest time of simple reaction time, Santa Ana dexterity test non-preferred hand, digit span forward, Benton visual retention test and pursuit aiming correct dot decreased with increasing of work duration. The correlation analysis was done in order to find out the relationship between subjective symptom and the scores of neurobehavioral core test battery. According to the results of analysis there were no items that had statistical significant relationship(p<0.05).

• Toxicological Research
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.117-124
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• 2000

The objective of this experiment is to investigate neurobehavioral and developmental effects of fumonisin B1 (FB1) after prenatal FB1 administration in rats. FB1 (0.8 or 1.6 mg/kg) was orally exposed to pregnant rats during gestational days 13 to 20, whereas the vehicle alone was administered to control group. Maternal and offspring body weights, physical landmarks of incisor eruption, eye opening, testes descending and vaginal opening, open field activity, running wheel activity, and complex maze performance were included as endpoints for developmental and neurobehavioral measurement. Maternal body weights were not signfficantly altered after FB1 exposure. Percentage of maternal weight gain difference between control and 1.6 mg/kg FBI groups was about 4%. Pre- and post-weanling weight of offsprings after prenatal exposure to FB1 was not signfficantly changed, suggesting that FB1 at 0.8 or 1.6 kg/kg doses may not cross the placenta. Significant gender difference in running wheel activity on postnatal days 57 to 63 and complex maze performance on postnatal days 75 to 78 was observed.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.28 no.4 s.51
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• pp.911-923
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• 1995

With increased use of neurotoxic agents in manufacturing industries, hazardous effects of neurotoxic agents pose significant problems in protecting health of workers who work in these industries. A normal range of neurobehavioral performance is required to study hazardous effects of neurotoxic agents among workers. However, such reference for Korean population is not available yet. The objective of this study is to estimate a normal range of neurobehavioral test performance of female workers in Korea. Data for neurobehavioral test performance developed by the World Health Organization were obtained from 165 female workers. Study subjects, 140 production workers and 25 clerks, who voluntarily participated in this study were not occupationally exposed to neurotoxic agents. The mean age and the mean education years of them were 32 years and 10.9 years, respectively Santa Ana dexterity, pursuit aiming, digit symbol, simple reaction time, and Benton visual retention tests among the Neurobehavioral Core Test Battery(NCTB) were included in the evaluation. Subjects were interviewed by a trained interviewer for their detailed occupational history $Mean({\pm}SD)$ performance of the participants were: $45.7{\pm}7.1\;and\;41.9{\pm}6.4$ in the Santa Ana dexterity test of the preferred and non-preferred hands; $45.7{\pm}7.1\;and\;41.9{\pm}6.4$ in correct dot of the pursuit aiming test; $57.7{\pm}16.0$ in the digit symbol test; $274.8{\pm}44.6$ msec in the mean simple reaction time and $70.5{\pm}69.0$ msec in the mean standard deviation of it; and $7.8{\pm}1.7$ in the Benton visual retention test. Most neurobehavioral performance scores were correlated significantly with age and educational level. Educational level was found to be a significant independent variable which was associated with all test scores. Age was significantly associated with scores of pursuit aiming and digit symbol tests.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.27 no.3 s.47
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• pp.487-504
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• 1994

A cross-sectional study was performed to evaluate the effects of chronic low-dose solvent on neurobehavioral performance of 118 male car painters. A control group of 113 workers matched for age was selected from different sections of the factory. The mean age and the mean duration of employment were 33 years and 6.7 years in both groups. Mean years of education were 11.4 years in car painters and 11.8 years in controls. Each worker completed a medical and occupational questionnaire and four tests of Swedish performance evaluation system. These included simple reaction time, symbol digit, digit span and finger tapping speed. Althougth the mean duration of employment was 6.7 years, comparison of mean performance showed a significantly poorer performance on simple reaction time (p<0.05), symbol digit(p<0.01) and digit span(p<0.05) in car painters. In univariate analysis, age and educational level contributed to poorer performance on symbol digit and digit span. Smoking appeared to slow finger tapping speed in car painters. Performance of four tests of car painters exposed to high level of solvent was poorer than that of car painters exposed to low level. In multiple regression models, controlling for age, alcohol, smoking and shift work, solvent exposure was found to be associated with performance of simple reaction time, symbol digit and digit span and exposure to high level of solvent was related to poorer performance of symbol digit and digit span.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.28 no.1 s.49
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• pp.175-185
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• 1995

To evaluate the neurobehavioral effects of blood lead, we performed NCTB (Neurobehavioral Core Test Battery) on 59 men who were exposed to lead occupationally. Performance on the tests was studied in relation to three ranges of blood lead $(low,\;0. Workers with high and medium blood lead concentrations showed poorer performances on digit span backward, digit symbol and Benton Visual Retention. After adjustment for age and education, high and medium group showed significantly impaired performance on Benton visual retention and slightly impaired performance on digit span backward. But it showed no different performance on tests between high and medium blood lead group.

• Hwankyungkyoyuk
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.18-25
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• 2011

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of volatile organic compounds and formaldehyde of newly-built school classroom indoor air on the neurobehavioral functions of students. The elementary schools that were opened in September 2008(as of September 2008) was selected for newly-built school and the elementary school that were opened in March 2006 was selected for control group schools. The concentration of formaldehyde(HCHO), a hazardous organic compound that exists in the air of classrooms, exceeded the standard value of $108.2{\mu}g/m^3$ in newly-built schools while it was $60.8{\mu}g/m^3$ in control group schools, which is around 60% of the standard concentration. However, the concentration of the total volatile organic compounds(TVOCs) was $788.9{\mu}g/m^3$ and $756.1{\mu}g/m^3$ in newly-built schools and control group schools respectively, which are approximately two times higher than the standard concentration. In newly-built schools, the mean reaction time of additions and symbol digit, respectively 3,020ms and 2,398ms in pre-exposure were increased to 3,167ms and 2,514ms respectively in post-exposure. The difference of mean reaction time between pre and post exposure was 146.8 ms, or 4.6%, and 116.7ms, or 4.8%, respectively, showing statistically-significant increase of reaction time(p<0.05). On the contrary, the difference of reaction time of both tests were not statistically significant in the control group schools. These results showed that the neurobehavioral performance of newly-built schools students were affected by volatile organic compounds and formaldehyde of classroom indoor air.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.31 no.4 s.63
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• pp.692-707
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• 1998

Aim. A neurobehavioral test for workers exposed to organic solvents in the workplace can be affected by many factors : age, education, motivation, ethnicity, etc. To apply more suitable neurobehavioral test for Korean workers, we evaluated the validity of several items of computerized and traditional neurobehavioral tests. Methods. We have applied eleven tests : four items of computerized neurobehavioral test(Swedish Performance Evaluation System) including Addition, Symbol-Digit, Dig-it Span, and Finger tapping speed, and seven items of traditional neurobehavioral test consisting of Addition, Digit-Symbol, Digit Span, Benton visual retention test, Pursuit aiming, Pegboard, and Tapping. These tests were performed on 96 workers exposed to solvents, and 100 reference workers. The concurrent and construct validities were evaluated by group difference, correlation with age, educational level, hippuric acid level, neurotoxic symptom, current exposure level, multitrait-multimethod matrix, fator analysis, and discriminant analysis. Results. Statistically significant differences were observed between the workers exposed to solvents and referents in computerized Symbol-Digit, Finger tapping speed, traditional Digit-Symbol and Pegboard. The computerized Symbol-Digit, traditional Digit-Symbol, Addition, Benton visual retention test, and Pegboard were found to be related to the age. The performance of computerized Symbol-Digit, Addition, and traditional Digit-Symbol were found to be related to the educational level significantly. The computerized Symbol-Digit, Finger tapping speed, and traditional Digit-Symbol were found to be related to hippuric acid, and neurotoxic symptom. The discriminability of Finger tapping speed, and Pegboard was better than the other tests. In discriminant analysis, the model with two variables, the computerized Symbol-Digit and Pegboard, classified almost 70 percent of the workers correctly. Conclusions. These results suggest that the computerized Symbol-Digit, Finger tapping speed, and Pegboard are more satisfactory for our purpose, and the Addition, Tapping, Benton visual retention test, and Pursuit aiming are less valid than other items. These may allow the reasonable selection of core neurobehavioral tests for workers exposed to solvents in Korea.

• 대한예방의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 1993.10a
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• pp.61-62
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• 1993