Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

Neuropsychiatric symptoms are among the most prominent manifestations of generalized chemical sensitivity. Patients, clinicians, and researchers are in agreement that symptoms such as depression, irritability, and mood instability are prominent among the distressing and disabling symptoms occurring in response to low-level chemical exposure. Beyond that point, however, agreement is difficult. The pathophysiology and clinical management of these symptoms remain quite controversial.

This paper will review available data on the prevalence and form of psychiatric symptoms among those suffering from multiple chemical sensitivity. Various models explaining the relationship of psychiatric symptoms to chemical sensitivity will be discussed. Finally, the implications of these models for clinical management and future research will be reviewed.

Keywords

chemical sensitivity envioronmental illness pathophysiology psychiatric

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

BARSKY, A.J.

(1979). Patients who amplify bodily sensations. Ann. Int. Med.91: 6370.

BARSKY, A.J.

GOODSON, J.D.

LANE, R.S.

, and

CLEARY, P.D.

(1988). The amplification of somatic symptoms. Psychosom. Med.50: 510519.

BELL, I.

MILLER, C.S.

, and

SCHWARTZ, G.E.

(1992). An olfactory-limbic model of multiple chemical sensitivity syndrome: possible relationships to kindling and affective spectrum disorders. Biol. Psychiat.32: 21842.

BLACK, D.

RATHE, A.

, and

GOLDSTEIN, R.B.

(1990). Environmental Illness: A controlled study of 26 subjects with 20th Century Disease. J. Am. Med. Assoc.264(24): 31663170.

BOLLA-WILSON, K.

WILSON, R.J.

, and

BLEECKER, M.L.

(1988). Conditioning of physical symptoms after neurotoxic exposure. J. Occup. Med.30(9): 684686.

BRODSKY, C.M.

(1983). Allergic to everything: A medical subculture. Psychosomatics24: 731742.

CODERRE, T.

KATZ, J.

VACCARINE, A.L.

, and

MELZACK, R.

(1993). Contribution of central neuroplasticity to pathological pain: Review of clinical and experimental evidence. Pain52: 259285.

CULLEN, M.

PACE, P.E.

, and

REDLICH, C.A.

(1992). The experience of the Yale occupational and environmental medicine clinics with Multiple Chemical Sensitivities, 1986-1991. Toxicol. Ind. Health8: 1519.

DAGER, S.

HOLLAND, J.P.

COWLEY, D.S.

, and

DUNNER, D.L.

(1987). Panic disorder precipitated by exposure to organic solvents in the work place. Am. J. Psychiat.144: 10561058.

10.

FIEDLER, N.

MACCIA, C.

, and

KIPEN, H.

(1992). Evaluation of chemically sensitive patients. J. Occup. Med.34(5): 529538.

11.

MacQUEEN, G.

MARSHALL, J.

PERDUE, M.

SIEGEL, S.

, and

BIENENSTOCK, J.

(1989). Pavlovian conditioning of rat mucosal mast cells to secrete rat mast cell protease. Science243: 8385.

12.

MOOSER, S.

(1987). The epidemiology of multiple chemical sensitivities. Occup. Med. State Art Rev.2: 663669.

13.

PENNEBAKER, J.W.

(1982). The Psychology of Physical Symptoms. Springer-Verlag, New York.

14.

REIMAN, E.

RAICHLE, M.E.

BUTLER, F.K.

HERSCOVITCH, P.

, and

ROBINS, E.

(1984). A focal brain abnormality in panic disorder, a severe form of anxiety. Nature310: 683685.

15.

SCHOTTENFELD, R.S.

and

CULLEN, M.R.

(1985). Occupationinduced post-traumatic stress disorder. Am. J. Psychiat.142: 198202.

16.

SIMON, G.

(1992). Psychiatric disorder and functional somatic symptoms as predictors of health care use. Psychiat. Med.10(3): 4960.

17.

SIMON, G.

KATON, W.J.

, and

SPARKS, P.J.

(1990). Allergic to life: Psychological factors in environmental illness. Am. J. Psychiat.147: 901906.

18.

SIMON, G.

VonKORFF, M.

WAGNER, E.H.

, and

BARLOW, W.

(1993). Patterns of antidepressant use in community practice. Gen. Hosp. Psychiat.15: 399408.

19.

STEWART, D.E.

and

RASKIN, J.

(1985). Psychiatric assessment of patients with 20th century Disease. Can. Med. Assoc. J.133: 10011006.

20.

VonKORFF, M.

ORMEL, J.

KATON, W.J.

, and

LIN, E.H.B.

(1992). Disability and depression among high utilizers of health care. Arch. Gen. Psychiat.49: 91100.

Psychiatric Symptoms in Multiple Chemical Sensitivity

Abstract

Keywords

Get full access to this article

References